Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf (PTI) will once again lock horns in Lahore and other cities of the province on August 22 when the six national and 16 provincial assembly seats will be for grabs in the scheduled by-elections.
However, with three provincial and one national assembly contests, Lahore is going be the pick of these contests with both political rivals waiting in the wings to take on each other.
A large number of PML-N workers are vying for the ticket to contest the elections, a sure-short way of making into the parliament given the party’s strength in the city.
Both the parties have not yet decided their candidates for the city. However, it seems that lady luck is smiling on two more well-known faces of the city from the ruling party.
It is learnt that Khwaja Salman Rafiq, brother of Khwaja Saad Rafiq, is likely to win party nomination for PP-142, while Mian Marghoob is considered as favourite for PP-150. Another PP constituency for which several PML-N workers and leaders are interested is PP-160, which has been vacated by Shahbaz Sharif who retained PP-159.
For the NA-129, vacated by Shahbaz Sharif, PML-N leader Rana Mubashir is the front-runner. Sources disclosed that either Rana Mubashir or his wife will get ticket.
Other PML-N leaders in the race for provincial seats include Kabir Taj and Hafiz Nauman, both are old party workers.
The PML-N’s parliamentary board met at the party secretariat in Model Town on Wednesday. The board, presided over by Shahbaz Sharif, would make recommendations to party head Nawaz Sharif. The tickets will be awarded after the approval of Nawaz Sharif.
The aspirants from Lahore, Lodhran, Mianwali, Muzafargargh and Rawalpindi presented their respective cases before the board. By-elections will be held on PP-210, NA-177, PP-257 and NA-71 in Lodhran, Muzaffargarh and Mianwali respectively.
Humza Shahbaz, Rana Mushood, Rana Sanaullah, Javed Latief were among the prominent members of the board.
On the other hand, PTI also has its candidates lined up. Sources have disclosed that the candidates likely to score the ticket include Malik Waqar from PP-142, Wajid Azeem from PP-150, Chaudhary Khalid Mehmood Gujjar from PP-161 and Chaudhary Mansha Sindhu from NA-129.
The experts believe that PML-N would have smooth sailing in the upcoming elections given its political strengths and being party in the power.
