146 get PML-N tickets, though they quit party after coup

LAHORE: The PML-N has awarded tickets to at least 145 past loyalists of PML (aka PLM-Q) and PPP in 53 national and 93 provincial constituencies in Punjab alone at the expense of its diehard supporters, who have stood ground in the post-1999 party hunt carried out by the Musharraf posse.
This list includes `electables’, who had either jumped the PML-N’s sinking ship after the coup and kept on switching the platforms for making their way to the parliaments or contested elections as independents and then joined the ruling party. These also include the local political octopuses, who even settled for slots in the local governments envisaged by the Musharraf regime for developing his political constituency afresh. And, above all, it includes the names of the PPP stakeholders at the electorate. Some have been part of the previous PPP Government (2008-2013). No matter who had changed loyalty at what point and for any reason, the PML-N hardcore surely has been shown the door. The list also includes those who were accommodated by the PML-N in 2008 as the original sin of joining a dictator can never be overlooked.
The PML-N chief, Mian Nawaz Sharif, had vowed not to entertain anyone who had left the party high and dry in the post-1999 era when the party was in the hot soup. He took a `principled’ stand on the issue, yet a few were given a last-minute pardon after the 2008 general elections for managing the number-game in Punjab. But the number was negligible.
There was another pack of legislators in the Punjab Assembly for whom the Nawaz Sharif’s stance was relaxed just to keep the Shahbaz Government’s pulse running when the PPP imposed the Governor’s Rule in the province. This gang has to be rewarded no matter if it had to be done at the cost of diehard party-workers, who remained with Mian Nawaz Sharif through thick and thin for nine long years.
``I have interviewed each candidate myself. It’s an arduous exercise, and I have chosen the best people,’’ said the PML-N chief in an interview recently. Assessing the PML-N corps for the 2013 contest in the light of Mian Nawaz Sharif’s strong statements, it seems the PML-N believes in another popular principle, `every which way but we win’. Though switching parties for political priorities is a norm and considered no offence, it surely does matter when a political party takes a hard stand and later falls victim to electoral success.
The huge lot of 53 MNA candidates with the PML-N tickets in pocket include Raja Javed Ikhlas (NA-51), former District Naib Nazim from 2001-2005 and District Nazim Rawalpindi from 2005 to 2010 on PML-Q ticket, Malik Aitebar Khan (NA-58), former PML-Q MPA (joined the PML forward bloc), Maj (retd) Tahir Iqbal (NA-60) was PML District Nazim Attock, Ghias Mela (NA-65) had contested from PML platform for NA seat in 2008, Dr Zulifqar Ali Bhatti (NA-67 ) contested MNA election in 2008 on PPP ticket, Sumaira Malik (NA-69) was former federal minister from 2002 to 2007 and won in the national assembly seat on PML ticket in 2008, Abdullah Shadikhel (NA-71) was PML MNA candidate from 2002 and 2008, Humair Hayat Rokari (NA-72) former district Nazim, Rasheed Akbar Niwani (NA-74) was former PML District Nazim of Bhakkar, Col (retd) Ghulam Rasool Sahi (NA-75) was former PML MNA in 2002, Muhammad Asim Nazir (NA-77 ) former PML-Q MNA in 2008, Qaiser Ahmed Shaikh (NA-86) contested from Tehreek-e-Istaqlal in 2002 and an independent candidate in 2008, Ghulam Bibi Bharwana (NA-87 ) was elected MNA on PML ticket in 2002 and 2008, Shaikh Waqas Akram (NA-89 ) former federal minister from PML, Saima Akhtar Bharwana (NA-90 ) won in 2002 as an independent candidate and joined PML and again contested as an independent candidate in 2008 and won, Sahibzada Mahboob Sultan (NA-91 ) former district Nazim Jhang and former MNA on PML ticket, Azhar Qayyum Nehra (NA-100 ) is former PML MPA from Gujranwala, Mian Shahid Hussain Bhatti (NA-103) is former PML Tehsil Nazim, Nawabzada Mazhar Ali (NA-104) is from PPP, Ch Mubashir Hussain (NA-105 ) is from the PPP, PTI and finally landed in the PML-N, Ch Abid Raza (NA-107 ) is from PML, having been alleged to have contacts with banned outfits and was in the PPP in 2002 and afterwards joined the PML after Chaudharys managed his release from the jail, Nasir Iqbal Bosal (NA-109 ) had contested 2002 election on the PML ticket and lost to PPP candidate, Ch Armaghan Subhani (NA-111 ) is former PML Punjab Minister, Zahid Hamid (NA-114 ) had drafted the NRO and November 3 Emergency Order and was former PML State Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs, Daniyal Aziz (NA-116 ) is the former Chairman NRB during Musharraf era, Rai Mansab Ali Khan (NA-137 ) was elected MNA in 2002 and got defeated in 2008 on the PML ticket, Nadeem Abbas Raberra(NA-143 ) is from PML, Rao Muhammad Ajmal (NA-146) contested and lost on the PML ticket, Mian Moeen Wattoo (NA-147 ) contested and lost on the PML ticket, Sheikh Tairq Rashid (NA-149) was a PML candidate for tehsil nazim, Sikandar Hayat Bosan (NA-151 ) was PML MNA, Ashiq Hussain Bukhari (NA-151 ) is former PML MPA, Pir Rafiuddin Bukhari (NA-154 ) was PML MPA in 2002 and 2008, Muhammad Akhtar Khan Kanju (NA-155) was PML MNA, Syed Fakhar Imam (NA-156) remained with the PML before joining the PPP and losing in 2008. Fakhar Imam’s daughter is still a PPP Senator.
Pir Aslam Bodla (NA-158 is from the PPP, Ch Iftikhar Nazir (NA-159) is from the PPP, Ch Ashraf (NA-161 ) is from PML, Saeed Manhais (NA-169 ) is from PML-J and his son has won on the PML ticket in 2008, Sardar Jafar Laghari (NA-174 ) was PML MNA, Hafeez-ur-Rehman Dareshak (NA-175 ) was former PML district Nazim, Malik Sultan Hinjra (NA-176 ) won from the PML platform in 2002 and 2008, Khalid Gurmani (NA-177 ) is from PML and had party ticket, but lost, Ibad Dogar (NA-178) is from PML, Makhdoom Basit Sultan (NA-179 ) is from PML, Abdullah Shah Bukhari (NA-180 ) is from PML, Makhdoomzada Hasan Ali (NA-183 ) is from PML, Mian Najeebuddin Awasi (NA-184 ) was tehsil nazim Bahawalpur, Khadim Wattoo (NA-188 ) was PML provincial minister, Alam Dad Lalika (NA-189 ) is the son of former Federal Minister late Abdul Sattar Lalika, who was the first one to join the Musharraf bandwagon well before the Chaudharys changed loyalties, Tahir Bashir Cheema (NA-190 ) had contested the national assembly elections in 2002 and 2008 on PML ticket and Makhdoom Alam Anwar (NA-190 ) is from the PML.
To be continued