Tough contest likely in PP-103

Published January 15, 2003

GUJRANWALA, Jan 14: A tough contest is likely for the provincial assembly seat PP-103 (Wazirabad tehsil) in the byelection on Wednesday (to-day).

This seat was vacated by the chief of his own faction of the PML, Chaudhry Hamid Nasir Chattha, who took oath as member of the National Assembly. He nominated Akmal Saif Chattha, son of former MPA Chaudhry Saif Ali Chattha, as nominee of the party for the seat.

The PML-Q allotted ticket to former MPA Haji Shaukat Hayat Chattha who was rival of Hamid Nasir Chattha in the same constituency in Oct 10 general elections.

Former MPA Chaudhry Arif Chattha was a close associate of Hamid Nasir Chattha. The latter switched over to the PPP when Hamid Nasir Chattha declined to award him party ticket.

The PPP awarded ticket to Arif Chattha for byelection.

Political pundits here believe that actual contest is likely between Shaukat Chattha and Akmal Saif Chattha.

They say that the PPP leaders were reorganizing the party in Alipur Chattha and Ahmad Nagar and the position of party’s nominee was not good.

Unprecedented security arrangements have been made in and around the polling stations in the constituency.