Can a candidate be representing a party and be independent at the same time? Apparently one cannot, declares a source quite well-versed with the ECP and the election rules. For every contesting candidate under the nomenclature ‘independent’ it is mandatory to make a declaration that he or she does not belong to any party. That being the case, one is amazed how the PML-N hot shot Ch. Nisar Ali Khan is at the same time a party stalwart and an independent? Another question that begs an answer, how come it escaped the ECP’s otherwise keenly observant apparatchiks?
As the story goes, Ch. Nisar’s nomination papers were accepted for NA-52 as a candidate contesting under the PML-N’s banner and he was promptly allotted the party symbol, Tiger. But in case Shahbaz Sharif leaves his Punjab fief and opts for a federal position, leaving the chief minister’s position open, Ch. Nisar perhaps wanted to keep his hat in the provincial ring as well. The party didn’t oblige its Prince of Rawalpindi Division with the provincial ticket, because the previous winner was unwilling to yield his from PP-6. Despite that dampener, Ch. Nisar didn’t withdraw his papers and has been allotted ‘Cow’ as symbol for his ‘independent’ position.
It is indeed surprising how Nisar got away during the process of scrutiny for he is a well-known figure as a PML-N leader, has been in the party’s top echelons for ages and its leader of the opposition in the National Assembly that completed its tenure only recently?
Perhaps the returning officers were too intent in disqualifying candidates under Article 62 and 63 to find other reasons for disqualification.
This also needs to be noted that Nisar in these upcoming election is making another record of sorts: from one district he is contesting from four constituencies on two NA and two Punjab Assembly seats.