PML-N interviews candidates from Attock, Sargodha, four other districts

LAHORE: The PML-N is most likely to award party tickets to Sheikh Aftab Ahmed and Malik Aitebar Khan for the two National Assembly seats from Attock district in the upcoming general elections, The News has learnt.

The PML-N’s Parliamentary Board is in the process of finalising its bet for the 2018 elections for which interviews of applicants are under way. The party president, Shahbaz Sharif, presided over its meeting on Monday, which was attended by former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Khawaja Saad Rafique, Rana Tanvir Hussain, Khurram Dastgir Khan, Raja Ashfaq Sarwar, Chaudhry Tanvir, Ahsan Iqbal and other leaders.

The meeting interviewed candidates from six districts – Attock, Sargodha, Jhelum, Chakwal, Sheikhupura and Nankana Sahib.

The district committees had prepared preliminary evaluation reports of the aspiring candidates which were presented to the board.

Sources say the members of the last National and provincial assemblies, who are hardcore party loyalists, are being given preference in the process, however, new aspirants are also under consideration.

The sources say it is highly likely that Sheikh Aftab would contest as PML-N candidate from NA-55 (formerly NA-57) in Attock. He won from this constituency in 1990, 1993 and 1997, but could not contest in 2002 and 2008 due to the graduation degree issues. He contested and won the 2013 elections and served as minister of state for parliamentary affairs.

There are three Punjab Assembly seats PP-1, PP-2 and PP-3 under NA-55. The most likely candidate to contest from PP-1 is Salman Sarwar who had previously contested for the National Assembly seat in 2002 but lost to a PML-Q candidate by 15,912 votes.

In case of PP-2, former MPA Jahangir Khanzada, son of martyred Shuja Khanzada, would be the party nominee. On the PP-3, Muhammad Shawez Khan, who was the MPA in 2013, is likely to be the PML-N candidate.

From NA-56, the other National Assembly seat from Attock, Malik Aitebar is most likely to contest after the completion of interview process, sources said.

He was elected to the provincial assembly as a candidate of PML-Q from PP-19 (Attock-V) in 2008 by receiving 41,003 votes and defeating a PML-N nominee. He was elected as MNA with a PML-N ticket from NA-58 (Attock-II) in 2013.

Sher Ali Khan and Bahadur Yar Khan are expected to the PML-N candidates for the two provincial seats falling under NA-56.

Sher Ali was elected to the MPA for PML-Q from PP-19 (Attock-V) in 2008 after defeating his PML-N rival. He was elected as MNA with a PML-N ticket from NA-58 (Attock-II) in 2013.

On the other hand, Bahadur Yar is a close relative of Malik Aitebar and thus being preferred because it would help keeping the biradri vote intact. The clan vote in the district, like many other districts of the country, plays a vital role in the final outcome of the results and therefore many decisions are taken keeping this factor in mind. The MPA Zafar Iqbal elected from this constituency 2013 too had recommended the name of Bahadur Yar for the same reason at the meeting. Addressing the meeting, Shahbaz said the PML-N had deep roots in the masses and promoted the politics of public service.

“In fact, PML-N is the largest and most popular political party in the country and public service, honesty, trust and transparency are the glowing hallmarks of the party. The present tenure of the PML-N government was the golden period of our history as the number of projects started and completed by the PML-N government has no resemblance in the 70 years history of the country,” he noted.

He said the candidates having the passion for public service would be given a priority, adding that the PML-N was set to achieve success with the support of masses. Shahbaz pointed out that promises made with the people had been fulfilled by eradicating the menace of loadshedding and terrorism. Similarly, savings to the tune of billions of rupees in different development projects was another achievement of the party, he added.

The PML-N president said the promises made with the people in the party manifesto had been fulfilled and the masses would make the politics of public service a success in the upcoming elections.

He said the PML-N leadership had worked very hard to serve the people and Punjab was leading the provinces with regard to development and prosperity due to the untiring efforts made by the government.

Shahbaz vowed that he would continue serving the people till the last drop of his blood and added that no one could sever his relation with them.

“The projects completed in our tenure are an example of its own,” he said. “On the contrary, the political opponents remained engrossed in making hollow claims and did not serve the masses. After a passage of five years, the PML-N is proudly standing with its head high in the court of the public,” said Shahbaz.