LAHORE - Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf has issued party tickets to 15 new candidates on 30 Punjab Assembly seats in Lahore, besides other 15 candidates who previously contested elections from the PTI platform.
Of the rest of 15 PA seats, seven candidates who contested elections on PTI ticket in 2013 have been fielded again while six candidates from 2013 and 2018 elections have made it to the list for the third consecutive time. Also, only two candidates from 2018 elections have been given tickets for 2023 general elections.
Newly-nominated Lahore-based PTI candidates include Abdul Karim Khan (PP-148), a resident of Shalimar who is member of central data center as well as Technolo, Mian Abbad Farooq (PP-149) CEO and founder Tradebone a UK-based E-commerce store, Alumni of Texas A&M University and chairman MDM Groups Textile Industry Qaiser Sohail Butt (PP-150) is resident of Baghbanpura and former member of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP). He is the brother of slain PPP leader Babar Butt. Former political advisor to PTI Punjab president Nasir Salman (PP-152) has served as former coordinator for business and trade affairs to ex CM Punjab Usman Buzdar. Besides, he has also served as spokesperson of Punjab government and vice Chairman CM complaint cell.
Mehar Sharafat Ali (PP-158) is a devoted PTI worker who is inspired by Imran Khan’s ideology. Ali rose to fame among PTI circles after he refused to testify against a TV Anchor Imran Riaz Khan. Azam Khan Niazi (PP-159) is a businessman and owns a famous transport company Niazi Express. Haider Majeed (PP- 160) is an advocate by profession and a convenor of Insaf Student Federation Punjab. Majeed has been entrusted to contest the election from the constituency of former school education minister Murad Rass. According to the sources, the PTI supremo didn’t issue the party ticket to Murad due to corruption allegations, besides his arrogant attitude towards party workers. Ammar Bashir Gujar (PP-162) is the president of PTI Punjab youth wing. Ammar has been given the ticket in place of Shabbir Gujjar who won the by-election from Lahore in 2022.
The reason behind this change was that Shabbir’s brother Khalid Gujjar has been awarded a party ticket from PP-165 Lahore. Another new face emerging on the scene is the former civil servant Ahmer Bhatti (PP-164). Bhatti got so impressed and inspired by Imran Khan’s leadership skills that he preferred to leave the civil services to enter politics to serve the public. He is also the joint secretary of PTI Lahore.
Speaking to The Nation ex- president ISF Lahore division and additional general secretary PTI youth wing Punjab Malik Ahad Awan expressed his displeasure and disappointment at not getting a ticket from the party. He said ISF had produced many leaders in the past including Murad Saeed, Farrukh Habib Hassan Niazi, Alamgeer Khan and Azhar Mashwani but still PTI leadership ignored youth wing’s recommendations as five candidates from the youth wing were shortlisted for party ticket across Punjab out of the list of 22. ISF and Youth Wing jointly proposed 22 names in Punjab, out of which five were awarded including Waqas Iftikhar (PP- 43 Daska Sialkot) (Ex President ISF Punjab) Chaudhry Arslan (PP- 47) Narowal Central President ISF Pakistan ,Ehsan Toor (PP- 101) Faisalabad ( Ex Central GS Youth Wing Pakistan ) Haider Majeed (PP- 160) in place of Murad Rass, President ISF Punjab Ammar Bashir Gujjar (PP 161), president Youth Wing Lahore. Two of the ISF stalwarts Gulraiz Iqbal (PP- 155), central GS Youth Wing Pakistan , Ex President ISF Punjab and M Ahad Awan (PP- 156), Ex Additional General Secretary Youth Wing Punjab and Ex President ISF Lahore Division were ignored by the PTI during the distribution of the tickets.