DERA GHAZI KHAN City News

LG polls divide PML-N in Dera Ghazi Khan
Party leadership decides to leave many constituencies open
From Hasnain Qaisrani
DERA GHAZI KHAN: Differences surfaced within the ruling party PML-N in Dera Ghazi Khan over awarding tickets for local government elections, as it is now divided into five groups led by different sitting and former lawmakers.
With the efforts aimed at developing consensus failed, the party leadership decided to keep a large number of constituencies open.
One of these groups is being patronised by Sardar Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari MNA and Sardar Jamal Khan Leghari MPA. Hafiz Abdul Kareem MNA, Syed Abdul Aleem Shah MPA, Sardar Amjad Farooq Khosa MNA and Sardar Mir Badshah Khan Qaisrani (a former MPA and PML-N divisional coordinator) are leading other groupings.
Dera Ghazi Khan has remained a PML-N stronghold for many years, but the party is facing a split this time round that could weaken it in the long run. These parliamentarians are openly campaigning against each other to grab maximum seats of union councils chairman with the ultimate aim of getting a soft corner as well as favour of Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif.
The nature and the intensity of differences can be judged from the fact that Sardar Abdul Qadir Khosa - son of Amjad Khosa - could not get party ticket and is contesting as an independent, while Sardar Javeed Akhtar Lund, MPA from PP-242, has been authorised to make decisions for that constituency.
Amjad Khosa and Mir Badshah Qaisrani are also not having good understanding, as the latter has fielded Sardar Qaisar Waseem Qaisrani in UC Moor Jhangi against Hafeez Meerani backed by Amjad Khosa who succeeded in getting party ticket for his favourite candidate. Similarly, Amjad Khosa also opposed awarding ticket to Sardar Shani Khan Tangwani - brother in law of Mir Badshah Qaisrani - for UC Hairo.
As far as Municipal Corporation Dera Ghazi Khan is concerned, four union councils - UC-6, UC-9, UC-12 and UC-14 - out of a total of 17 have been left open because of a divided local chapter of PML-N. Hafiz Kareem, Syed Abdul Aleem Shah and Jamal Leghari have fielded their candidates in these constituencies.
The PP-245 is also becoming a bone of contention between Jamal Leghari and Hafiz Kareem and has also been left open, with the PML-N not awarding ticket for any LG constituency. It is important to note that Jamal Leghari was elected from PP-245 which falls under NA-172 won by Hafiz Kareem.
Given the situation, a large number of the pro-PML-N contestants are in the contest as independents and all the party groups are campaigning with full force to ensure victory for their candidates.