AHMEDPUR EAST - All Pakistan Muslim League President General (r) Pervez Musharraf is likely to face Bahawalpur National Awami Party Chief Nawab Salahuddin Abbasi at NA-184 Bahawalpur 2 constituency in the upcoming elections.
Mr Musharraf and Mr Abbasi have got their nomination papers through their representatives Ms Nilofar Bakhtiar and Mian RafaturRehman Rehmani respectively.
The area is considered to be the stronghold of Mr Salahuddin. The constituency consists of half of the areas of the constituency wherefrom Abbasi won National Assembly seat in 1988,1990, 1993 and 1998 elections. Afterwards, he backed the candidature of Malik Aamar Yar Warran in 2002 and 2008 polls. They had defeated the PPP, PML-N and PML-Q candidates in 2008 polls.
It may be recalled that the Pakistan Army had allocated agricultural land to General (r) Musharraf in Mauza Naubahar of the constituency. He is also a Numberdar of the village.
The BNAP chief has returned from Islamabad to Bahawalpur. Earlier, PTI Chairman Imran Khan had addressed a joint press conference with Mr Abbasi at Bahawalpur House Islamabad in which the PTI and the BNAP had announced to make election alliance in Bahawalpur Division.
Political observers have predicted drastic change in the election scenario of Bahawalpur division, showing a possible setback for both the PPP and PML-N. Meanwhile, with the BNAP chief, a meeting was held by Insaf Lawyers Forum South Punjab Secretary General Sahibzada Muzzamilur Rasheed Abbasi, PPP South President Vice President Hassan Askari Sheikh, Ex-PPP MNA Arif Aziz Sheikh, Ex-tehsil nazim Ahmedpur East Makhdoom Syed Samiul Hassan Gillani, Mian Ilyas Ayaz, ex-president Bar Association Mehr Mushtaq Ahmed and ex-union nazim Malik Farooq Ghallu. They exchanged views on different proposals for BNAP nominees.