LAHORE, Oct 8: Shahbaz Sharif on Tuesday talked by phone to the joint candidate of the PML-N and the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal for NA-121 Farid Piracha to know situation in the constituency.

On the occasion, he reminded Mr Piracha that PML-N patron Nawaz Sharif was himself a candidate from the NA-121 but he had withdrawn his nomination to show solidarity with Ms Benazir Bhutto whose papers had been rejected by the returning officer.

He said the former prime minister would consider the success of Mr Piracha, Rana Mashhud Khan (PP-149) and Mehr Ishtiaq Ahmad (PP-150) as his own victory.

Shahbaz Sharif also sought latest information about NA-118 and -126.

The PML-N is especially touchy about the NA-118 where PML-QA president is contesting polls with Jamaat-i-Islami’s Hafiz Salman Butt as one of the rivals.

The Sharifs want to defeat Mian Azhar at all cost for they feel that he had betrayed them by bifurcating the party and supporting the army government.

They have reportedly offered the JI all kind of help against Mian Azhar in NA-118.

On the other hand, Mian Azhar is reportedly urging Hafiz Abdul Wadood, the original MMA nominee for the seat, to continue his election campaign so that religious vote bank in the constituency can be divided.

According to unconfirmed reports, the government has withdrawn criminal cases against Mujibur Rahman Inqilabi, the brother of Hafiz Wadood and a leader of the defunct Sipah-i-Sahaba, in reward for his insistence to continue the polls though there is not even a slight chance of his win.