LAHORE – The PTI, which links its success to the support of the youth and women, has awarded only two tickets to the representatives of youngsters from Lahore and gave little or no share to women on general seats of rural areas while reserved seats were also awarded to the family members of influential politicians. 
The unofficial list of the PTI candidates for the provincial capital issued on Tuesday revealed that only two leader of the party’s youth wing were awarded tickets in the provincial metropolis.
Muhammad Madni, who is a leader of the PTI youth wing, has been fielded against Hamza Shahbaz Sharif, son of PML-N Punjab President Shahbaz Sharif while Dr Yasmin Rashid, the only woman candidate on a general seat from the provincial capital, has been fielded against the PML-N President Nawaz Sharif from NA-120.
According to the unofficial list, PTI candidates for the National Assembly constituencies of Lahore are: Hamid Zaman will contest polls from NA-118, Muhammad Madni from NA-119, Dr Yasmin Rashid from NA-120, Barrister Hammad Azhar from NA-121, Imran Khan from NA-122, Mian Hamid Miraj from NA-123, Waleed Iqbal from NA-124, Hamid Khan from NA-125, Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed from NA-126, Abdul Aleem Khan from NA-127 and Zaheer Abbas Khokhar will contest for NA-128. The selection of a candidate for NA-129 has been pending until the parliamentary board meeting scheduled for today. Former Punjab chief minister Shahbaz Sharif will contest polls from NA-129.
The party has given nod to the candidature of Talib Sandhu from NA-130, a tough rural constituency of Lahore, dominated mostly by Awan, Jatt, Rajput and Ghutki clans.
According to the unofficial list of the PTI candidates for the Punjab Assembly from Lahore: Yasir Gilani will contest from PP-137, Mian Mehmood Ahemd from PP-138, Asghar Gujjar from PP-139, Zubair Niazi from PP-140, Nawaz Natt from PP-141, Malik Waqar from PP-142, Mian Yameen Tipu from PP-143, Atif Chaudhry from PP-144, Mian Iftikhar from PP-145, Jamsheed Iqbal Cheema from PP-146, Aleem Khan from PP-147, Ijaz Chaudhry from PP-148, Mian Akram Usman from PP-149, Sheikh Imtiaz from PP-150, Haji Fiaz from PP-151, Hafiz Farhat Abbas from PP-155 and Ahsan Rasheed from PP-156.
While decision for PP-153, 154, 157, 158, 159, 160 and 161 is pending until the PTI parliamentary board meeting scheduled for today.
A group of the PTI women leaders belonging to the old guard have protested over the priority lists submitted to the ECP for reserve seats for women for National and Punjab assemblies. They demanded of the party chairman for taking immediate action against those party leaders who finalised the women reserve seats list for Punjab and also warned of the strong protests at party offices, if their demands were not met.
They complained that many veteran women leaders were overlooked in the list, while daughters, wives and other close relatives of the traditional political lot in the party have been given priority in allotting the seats reserved for women.
Some of the women leaders belonging to rural areas complained that party’s high command with the consent of local leaderships was keeping the women aspirants out of the electoral race.