Punjab: PML-N fields 30% new candidates, shuns 40 ex-MPs

ISLAMABAD: In the 2024 general election, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz has introduced a notable influx of 30 percent new candidates in Punjab.

The party has distributed tickets to 29 per cent of these newcomers for the National Assembly seats in Punjab and 31 per cent for the Punjab Assembly.

The party has issued tickets to 127 candidates for the National Assembly seats in Punjab. Notably, the PML-N has opted not to extend tickets to 40 former members of the National Assembly and the provincial assembly from Punjab.

For the 2024 elections, the party presented a roster of 264 candidates for the Punjab Assembly, with 41 of them not receiving tickets due to their former MP status.

In the preceding 2018 elections, the PML-N had nominated 270 candidates for the Punjab Assembly, resulting in victory of 164 MPs.

Within the Punjab Assembly, 28 members were directly elected in 2018, while 13 women secured positions on special seats.

In previous elections, the PML-N had fielded 128 candidates for National Assembly seats from Punjab. In 2018, 66 MNAs of PML-N secured direct victories, while 17 members were elected on reserved seats.

Significantly, the PML-N has refrained from allocating tickets to its former 12 National Assembly members from Punjab in the current election cycle.

Among the candidates who did not receive tickets are Ali Pervez, Mehnaz Aziz, Ayesha Rajab Baloch, Daniyal Aziz, Ayesha Ghos, Samira Malik, Mayza Hameed, Shakeela Luqman, Samina Motal, Usman Ibrahim, Hamid Hameed and Shahid Khaqan Abbasi.

Jameel Ahmed Khan, Sami Gilani, Riyaz Mazari, Basit Sultan, Aamir Gopang, Amjad Farooq, Ghaffar Voto, Mubeen Ahmed, Ahmed Hussain, Rana Qasim, Raja Riaz, Farrukh Altaf, Sardar Abbas, and Khan Mohammad Jamali of QL, Tariq Cheema, and father Jam Kamal Khan have received PML tickets.

In the province, tickets have been issued to 58 women for provincial seats, while 31 women have been nominated from the province for the National Assembly. Ahmed Ali Olakh, who contested as an independent candidate from PML-N, Aoon Jahangir from Hafizabad, and Bilal Yameen from Rawalpindi have been given tickets. Additionally, five from PTI, including Uzmi Kardar, Aslam Bharwana, Faisal Hayat, Naeem Butt, Dost Mazari, Rasul Karija from PP, Naushir Khan, Anjum Langriyal, Mehmood Ahmed, and Mumtaz Mehravi from QL have also received tickets.

Twenty-eight candidates who failed to secure tickets include Yasir Zafar from Sargodha, Azhar Abbas from Muzaffargarh, Ejaz Achalana, and Qaiser Magsi from Leh, Tahir Ali Parvez from Faisalabad, Rai Haider, Shafiq Ahmed, Chaudhry Iqbal, and Muhammad Ajmal. Irfan Bashir from Gujarat and Gujranwala, Adeel Bakhsh Chatta, Amanullah Waraich, Talat Mehmood, Abdul Rauf, and Akhtar Ali did not receive tickets. Abu Hafas Ghathauddin from Narwal, Naghama Mushtaq from Multan, Attaul Rehman from Khanewal, Pirzada Jahangir from Lodhran, Chaudhry Iftikhar and Shujaat Hyderandim from Sheikhupura. Riaz Khan did not get a ticket from Kasur, Chaudhry Mubeen from Okara, Naveed Ali from Pakpattan, Pirkhiz from Sahiwal, Nadeem Kamran, and Rana Riaz did not receive tickets. Aneza Fatima, Faiza Mushtaq, Gulnaz Shahzadi, Hasina Begum, Kanwal Parvez, Khalida Mansoor did not get tickets. Mehwish Sultana, Nafisa Amin, Rabia Nusrat, Raheela Khadim, Saima Butt, Syeda Uzmi, and Aswa Aftab.