PML-N announces five more candidates for AJK elections

MUZAFFARABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president Nawaz Sharif has issued party tickets to five more candidates for the forthcoming Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly elections, while nominations for three constituencies are still pending.

According to a communication carrying Nawaz Sharif’s signature, the party has awarded tickets to Malik Mohammad Nawaz from LA-8 Kotli-I (Raj Mahal), Chaudhry Mohammad Yasin Gulshan from LA-18 Poonch-I (Abbaspur), Sardar Abdul Khaliq Wasi from LA-22 Poonch-V (Tain/Thorar), Mohammad Ahsan Raza from LA-36 Jammu-III and Mohammad Amir Shah from LA-41 Valley-II.

The nomination in LA-36 Jammu-III has drawn particular attention, as the party chose Mohammad Ahsan Raza, a new entrant to the PML-N, instead of veteran party figure Chaudhry Mohammad Ishaq. Ahsan Raza is the son of former legislator Hafiz Mohammad Raza and the nephew of sitting PTI lawmaker Hafiz Hamid Raza. He had backed his uncle in the previous election before joining the PML-N in February last year.

LA-36 Jammu-III had earlier been contested on a PML-N ticket by Chaudhry Mohammad Ishaq in the 2011 and 2016 elections. His attempt to secure the ticket this time was opposed by PML-N MNAs Chaudhry Armaghan Subhani and Khawaja Mohammad Asif. Ishaq, meanwhile, had stayed with the party even during the Musharraf period and the tenure of the PTI government.

Speaking to Dawn, Chaudhry Mohammad Ishaq said he was upset by the party’s decision, but added that he would remain in the race in line with the wishes of ordinary PML-N workers.

Three constituencies await final decision

The party has not yet named candidates for LA-28 Muzaffarabad-II (Lachhrat), LA-1 Mirpur-I (Dadyal) and LA-45 Valley-VI.

In LA-28 Muzaffarabad-II, Chaudhry Shehzad Mahmood had been seen as the leading contender for the PML-N ticket and, according to his associates, his nomination was nearly complete.

In LA-1 Mirpur-I, the contest for the party ticket had apparently narrowed to former minister Chaudhry Masood Khalid and Shoaib Abid, who placed second and third, respectively, in the last general election. However, many senior PML-N leaders were in favour of giving the ticket to sitting legislator Chaudhry Azhar Sadiq in a bid to strengthen the party’s chances of winning the seat. Sadiq appeared most likely to be nominated.

The position in LA-45 Valley-VI, which is located in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, also remained unresolved. The PML-N had received no application for the constituency and was initially thought to be considering support for independent candidate Abdul Majid Khan. After Khan formally joined the PPP last week, however, the party was left without a clear choice. Party sources said the PML-N may now support the Muslim Conference candidate in that constituency.