BAHAWALPUR, Jan 2: The local PML-N leadership has split up on the question of extending support to a candidate in the byelection on NA-187 (Bahawalpur five).

Former MNA and PML-N district president Chaudhry Mumtaz Ahmed Jajja and his son Khalid Mahmood Jajja, who was defeated by PPP’s Aitzaz Ahsan in the October elections, are poised to favour Saood Majid Chaudhry in the ensuing campaign. Khalid Jajja was also a PML-N candidate to contest the byelections, but he withdrew his nomination papers on Dec 27 to extend his support to Saood Chaudhry. Workers of Khalid Jajja are also seen canvassing with Saood Chaudhry.

On the contrary, Punjab PML-N secretary-general Saad Rafique on a telephonic message to former MPA Samiullah Chaudhry directed the party workers to launch canvassing in favour of the PPP backed candidate and PSP president Taj Muhammad Langah.

Dawn learnt that Samiullah Chaudhry was inclined to support secretly to independent candidate Syed Tasneem Nawaz Gardezi. Since Samiullah has some old links with Mr Gardezi, it is believed that he (Samiullah) in negation of the party line will support secretly to Mr Gardezi.

Chaudhry Mumtaz Ahmed Jajja, a Jat clan chief in the Yazman tehsil, is considered an influential figure in Jat and Arain clans. His support to Saud Chaudhry, the son of former MPA and Bahawalpur mayor, could give tough time to Tasneem Gardezi despite his backing by district Nazim Tariq Cheema.

CONDEMNED: The Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal on Thursday condemned the FBI activities in Pakistan and the mass arrests in Lahore and other places.

At a joint press conference, MMA leader Syed Waseem Akhtar, MMA’s newly-elected Bahawalpur president Mufti Mazhar Shah and other office-bearers demanded that the government should release immediately the Pakistanis arrested by the FBI agents.