Written by: Munir Sajid Arain
As the election draws closer, the political field is heating up. The PML-N is facing serious problems in many national and provincial constituencies over the distribution of tickets in Punjab.
If we talk about Sahiwal Constituency NA 142, there is a fierce competition and tug-of-war between the two factions of Pakistan Muslim League-N.
On one side is former MNA Chaudhry Muhammad Ashraf and on the other side is Ayesha Arshad Khan Lodhi, daughter of late Arshad Khan Lodhi and wife of former MPA and candidate PP-201 Naveed Aslam Khan Lodhi.
If we look at this constituency in the context of history, Chaudhry Muhammad Ashraf has been elected MNA four times on the ticket of Muslim League-N.
In 1990, the party gave MNA ticket to late Arshad Khan Lodhi from this constituency in place of Chaudhry Mohammad Ashraf and late Arshad Khan Lodhi lost this seat.
PML-N did the second experiment in the 2008 election. Once again the ticket was taken away from Chaudhry Muhammad Ashraf and given to Pir Ehsanul Haq Idris.
Chaudhry Muhammad Ashraf participated in the election as an independent candidate. He could not win, but PML-N candidate Pir Ehsan-ul-Haq Idris also lost. Thus, the experiment of PML-N failed for the second time as well.
It proved that the political party has its own vote bank, but there is an important role of personality, caste and factions in the victory and defeat of any candidate in the constituency, which the opponents of Chaudhry Muhammad Ashraf admit.
Constituency NA 142 has a majority of Arain caste who cast their vote for Chaudhry Muhammad Ashraf instead of giving their vote to any other candidate despite the differences.
This is the reason that every time PML-N rejected Chaudhry Muhammad Ashraf, the party lost the seat from this constituency.
The common political worker of the party is worried about the political battle between former MNA and former MPA of PML-N for getting ticket.
The two political leaders seem to be criticizing each other at every gathering and meeting, firing straight arrows of accusations at each other.
During the election campaign, whatever arrow hits the target, the loss will be to the PML-N. Who is entitled to the ticket in this constituency will be decided by the party leadership. I pray that Allah Almighty has mercy on the people of this constituency and the country of Pakistan. May Allah support us all. Amen.
#NA142 #Sahiwal #Election2024 #Elections2024 #PTI #PMLN