LAHORE– the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz parliamentary board may take longer time to finalise the candidate’s names for the Punjab urban areas.
Sources said that the board had given the names of rural candidates in electioneering but it was taking time to select the candidates for urban constituencies particularly where from the party had lost the last election. It feels that PML-N is facing tough candidates from the opposite political parties, sources said.
After the city candidates have been finalised, the committee is likely to take final decision for others. At that time candidates for urban seats of Gujranwala, Multan, Faisalabad, and Sargodha division would also be announced while about 30 to 50 per cent have yet to be finalized which may take time till April 17 which is the last date for informing the commission about ticket holders. However the party has to furnish list of candidates for the reserved seats for women and minorities by March 31 for which the N board is completing the process and sorting out the final names.
Sources said that work on finalising the names for rural constituencies is almost complete and ticket holders have also been given signal to start campaign. Meanwhile, some party sources have hinted at the PML-N President Nawaz Sharif contesting elections on four National Assembly seats including Lahore, Gujranwala, and Mansehra.
In another development on Friday, PML-Z President Ijazul Haq called on Nawaz Sharif at Raiwind on Friday. Nawaz said the PML-N’s politics did not revolve around the power but interest of the masses and their welfare.
He vowed to turn Pakistan into Asian Tiger in respect of economic development as well as to overcome the energy crisis on fast-track basis after coming into power. sources said that during the meeting, Ijazul Haq expressed desire to join hands with the PML-N, however the matter suspend for further discussion. Ijazul Haq, as the sources said, may be given ticket to contest from Bahawalnagar. The PML-N is also looking forward towards seat adjustment with the JI, whose leader Liaqat Baloch had held meeting with Hamza Shahbaz Sharif and Khwaja Saad Rafiq. The JI has also negotiated with the PTI on seat adjustment however chances of the JI allying with the N-League are bright once consensus is evolved on adjusting the JI candidates on at least two city seats.  According to sources, Baloch said that talks with both the PML-N and the PTI were on as there are equal chances for adjusting seats with either party.
Analysts say that PML-N and the JI are ideologically close to each other and in the past have also successfully contested election jointly.
Nominations: Many notable figures of PTI and PML-Q have submitted nomination papers for general elections with their election commission officers on Friday.
According to a spokesman of Election Commission, Pervaiz Elahi’s son Monus Elahi submitted his nomination papers from PP 118 Mandi Bahauddin, Tariq Bashir Cheema of PML-Q from NA 187 Bahawalpur, PML-Z chief Ejaz ul Haq NA 190 Chishtian, SA Hameed of PTI submitted his nomination papers from NA 96 Gujranwala. PTI president Javed Hashmi is likely to submit his nomination papers from NA 149 Multan on Saturday (today).