Fida Hussnain Lahore
The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Wednesday announced tickets for the candidates from Rawalpindi and Gujranwala divisions for NA and Punjab Assembly seats for upcoming general elections.
The lists, carrying complete information including names and constituencies in Rawalpindi Divisions, were released by PML-N Election Cell Chairman Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar.
The announcement was made after long meetings and deliberations of the parliamentary board of the party regarding candidates, tickets and the constituencies. PML-N Supremo Nawaz Sharif, party President Shehbaz Sharif and other senior party leaders conducted interviews of the candidates.
For the National Assembly seats, Sheikh Aftab Ahmed was chosen for NA-49, Maik Sohail Khan for NA-50, Raja Osama Sarwar for NA-51, Raja Muhammad Javed Ikhlas for NA-52, Raja Qamar ul Islam for NA-53, Malik Ibrar Ahmed for NA-55, Mohammad Hanif Abbasi for NA-56, Danyal Chaudhary for NA-57, Major (retd) Tahir Iqbal for NA-58 and Sardar Ghulam Abbas for NA-59.
For the Punjab Assembly seats, Jahangir Khanzada for PP-1, Iftikhar Ahmed Khan for PP-2, Hameed Akbar for PP-3, Sher Ali Khan for PP-4, Malik Aitebar Khan for PP-5, Mohammad Bilal Yamin for PP-6, Raja Saghir Ahmed for PP-7, Iftikhar Ahmed for PP-8, Shaukat Raja for PP-9, Chaudhary Nadeem Ejaz for PP-10, Imran Ilyas Chaudhary for PP-11, Malik Iftikhar Ahmed for PP-14, Malik Mansoor Afsar for PP-15, Ziaullah Shah for PP-16.
For PP, Raja Abdul Hanif, for PP-18, Sajjad Khan, for PP-19, Haji Pervaiz Khan, for PP-13, Malik Umar Farooq, for PP-20, Sultan Haider Ali Khan, for PP-21, Tanvir Aslam Malik, for PP-23, Shehryar Malik, for PP-25, Chaudhary Nadeem Khadim and for PP-26, Nasir Mahmood Lillah were selected for the tickets.
The development took place after PML-N Punjab President Rana Sanaullah had said that the party would release the tickets for its candidates on Wednesday evening or on Thursday. He said the party was planning to start a proper campaign from January 15.
“Nawaz Sharif will lead the election campaign, with the plans for 60 rallies across the country,” said Rana Sanaullah.
He said, “Maryam Nawaz and Shehbaz Sharif will initiate their election rallies from January 15, while Nawaz Sharif is set to commence his rallies from January 17,”.
The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) outlined the schedule for Maryam Nawaz and Shehbaz Sharif’s rallies, with Hamza Shehbaz conducting rallies in various districts of Punjab, including Lahore.
Nawaz Sharif, he said, would address rallies in 12 to 15 divisions.
Addressing questions about Nawaz Sharif potentially becoming the party president, the former federal minister clarified that the head of the government is the prime minister, and the president held no executive authority.
When asked whether Nawaz Sharif would be made president he said that the head of the state is the prime minister, and the president does not have powers as he always needs advice from the prime minister.
“Therefore, the country needs that Nawaz Sharif should be in an operational office where he could lead the country out of crises,” said Rana Sanaullah.
“In my view, that office is that of the prime minister,” he explained.
He said that PML-N would win the election and would form the next government under the leadership of Nawaz Sharif.
Rana Sanaullah also rejected the rumours of differences among the leaders of the PML-N over tickets.
“There are no differences. The deliberations are underway only in a few constituencies,” he said, adding that they are not in favour of election day.
“From the first day, we have been demanding free and fair elections in the country,” he added.
