After being denied ticket: PMLN’s former MPA to run as independent

By Our Correspondent
December 27, 2023

MANSEHRA: The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) is divided over the distribution of tickets as a former MPA has announced to run for the Feb 8 election as independent aspirants after the party’s parliamentary board turned down his application.

“I deserved a ticket, as I rendered sacrifices for PMLN as district president, but my application was turned down,” Zafar Mehmood, an aspirant for the PK-38, told reporters.

Voters cast their ballot at a polling station during the by-election in the Punjab assembly seat in Lahore. — AFP/File
Voters cast their ballot at a polling station during the by-election in the Punjab assembly seat in Lahore. — AFP/File

The differences emerged in the PML-N Mansehra chapter when the parliamentary board headed by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif finalised the names of the party candidates earlier this week for two national and five provincial assembly seats.

Zafar Mehmood, who served as advisor to the caretaker chief minister, said he would contest the February 8 election from PK-28 as an independent candidate.

The PMLN parliamentary board awarded the ticket to former MPA Naeem Sakhi.

The party’s board also declined a ticket to former MPA Mian Ziaur Rehman to contest the election on its ticket for PK-36 and awarded it to former tehsil nazim Balakot Junaid Ali Qasim.

The PML-N parliamentary board has fielded Nawaz Sharif in NA-15, Sardar Zahoor in PK-37, Mohammad Arif Advocate in PK-39 and Sardar Shahjehan Yusuf in PK-40.