GUJRAT, Nov 30: More than three dozen elected representatives of the PML of Kharian tehsil council have demanded that party president Chaudhry Shujaat Husain should cancel the tehsil naib nazim ticket of Irfan Naseer Marala, the brother of MNA Rehman Marala. At a meeting held in Qulewal Syedan the other day, the participants refused to accept Irfan Marala or any other member of the clan as the PML nominee for the naib nazim slot.

In their requisition a copy of which has been dispatched to Chaudhry Shujaat, they have also demanded that the ticket should be given to any other activist.

A coordination committee, comprising Hanif Tahir, Qayyum Bhatti, Qalab-i-Abbas and Malik Atta, was constituted for contacts with other elected representatives of the Shujaat Group to muster their support over the issue.

Former caretaker chief minister Mian Afzal Hayat, former MPA Liaquat Bhadar, Public Safety Commission ex-chairman Tariq Mahmood and former district naib nazim Syed Noorul Hassan Shah were also present.

ARRESTS: The Sarai Alamgir police claimed on Wednesday to have arrested two criminals after a brief encounter here.

A patrol party, led by SHO Nasir Cheema, had signalled three men to stop but they opened fire on police. This led to an exchange of fire during which two of the culprits surrendered while the third escaped.

The arrested men were later identified as Tanvir Ahmad and Irfan Shaheen.

LICENCES CANCELLED: The health department claimed on Wednesday to have cancelled 218 drug sale licenses for violating the relevant act during the last two years.

A spokesman of the department told newsmen that steps were being taken by EDO Dr Talat Shah to eradicate the menace of selling spurious drugs.

He said 218 licences were cancelled and fines of over Rs1.9 million imposed on violators.