LAHORE – Two members of the PML-Q Forward Bloc, Ijaz Shafi and Ayesha Javed who applied for PML-N’s ticket for the Senate, have been denied by the PML-N on the grounds that technically they remain members of the PML-Q, The Nation has learnt.
Insiders in the Forward Bloc told our correspondent on Friday that Ijaz Shafi and Ayesha Javed had launched efforts to get PML-N ticket for the Senate, without the approval of their colleagues, however the PML-N leadership has refused taking the genuine plea that if given the tickets the two would have to face the defection clause, as they were elected on the PML-Q tickets.
The source quoted a close associate of the Bloc’s parliamentary leader Dr Tahir Ali Javed, as saying that during her interview Ayesha Javed was asked by the PML-N leadership how could she could get the ticket while still being a part of the PML-Q, adding that even if she resigned from her party, why would the PML-N justify to its old guards for awarding Senate ticket to her instead of a party member who has remained with the party through thick and thin.
Our source revealed one of the founder of the Bloc as saying that, the Forward Bloc had formed a three-member committee comprising Dr Tahir Ali Javed, Mian Atta Manika and Ijaz Shafi to meet the meet PML-N high command and convey their demands regarding the dissidents. However the committee has failed to get an appointment from the PML-N’s top leadership.
When contacted, founder of the Bloc, Mian Atta Manika said, “We have heard that two members of the Bloc met with PML-N leadership for giving interview in a bid to get the ticket for the Senate,” he added “The Unification Bloc does not exist anymore, as two members would not have met PML-N leaders without the consent of their colleagues if they believe in the founding spirit of the group. The members made efforts to get PML-N ticket for the Senate, in fact negated the stance of their colleagues who proposed in an informal meeting of the group for taking a joint stand over the Senate elections”.