SARGODHA, Jan 4: The assassination of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Benazir Bhutto in Rawalpindi on Dec 27 has also affected the politics of Sargodha and Khushab districts.

Even though these two districts have no potential PPP candidates for the upcoming general elections, but the shockwave following the Rawalpindi bombing has subdued the election campaign of Pakistan Muslim League-Q (PML-Q) candidates, the party which the late Bhutto took as her rival.

Mobs in rural areas burnt election material and offices of the PML-Q candidates. Viewing no standing among the public for the PML-Q, Mazhar Qureshi, PML-Q candidate for NA-68 left the party, and has joined the PML-N.

But this move has created problem for the PML-N as the inclusion of Mr Qureshi to the PML-N annoyed Shahzadi Umerzadi Tiwana, who joined the PML-N in rivalry of Mr Qureshi weeks ago. Now she is contesting for a provincial seat against former MPA Munir Ahmad Qureshi, cousin of Mazhar Qureshi.

Now the PML-Q holds no candidate in NA-68, however it will support Chaudhry Farukh Javed Ghuman, former Saillanwali tehsil nazim. Ms Tiwana will not support Mazhar Qureshi and may support independent candidate Furrukh Ghuman.

The postponement of the elections has brought a sigh of relief to most of the PML-Q nominees except for candidates for NA-64 and NA-67 Haroon Ehsan Piracha and Chaudhry Anwar Ali Cheeema, who said that even polls on Jan 8 would have not affected their position in their constituencies.

CANDLELIT VIGIL: Members of civil society arranged a candlelit vigil to pay homage to former prime minister Benazir Bhutto here on Friday.

Those who attended the vigil included Dr Muhammad Ahmad Khan, Prof Robina Feroze, Dr Nadia Aziz and Tasneem Ahmad Qureshi.

Paying a tribute to the assassinated PPP chairperson, the participants demanded an impartial probe into the Liaquat Bagh carnage.