GUJRAT: Prime Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Raja Farooq Haider had to reportedly intervene in the local politics to pacify a Jhelum-based disgruntled former MPA of the PML-N, Rana Awais Khalid, to get his support for Nadeem Khadim Gurmala, the party’s candidate for NA-66 (Jhelum-Dina-Sohawa).

According to sources, the AJK premier who too belongs to the PML-N, called on Raja Awais at the latter’s Sohawa residence to discuss with him the issues relating to the constituency and persuade him to support the party candidates for NA-66 and PP-25.

Raja Awaiz was denied ticket by the PML-N after Jhelum lost a provincial assembly seat as a result of new delimitation. Earlier, the district had four PA seats but in the new delimitation, Dina and Sohawa have been combined in PP-25.

The PML N nominated another former MPA, Mehr Fayaz, of Dina for PP-25 which annoyed Raja Awais who, as a result, was not active in the election campaign of the party candidates.

As per sources, Nadeem Gurmala held a special meeting with Shahbaz Sharif in Lahore recently where he apprised the party president of the situation and asked him to convince Raja Awais to support him (Mr Gurmala).

The sources said that during the meeting Mr Gurmala also complained about the alleged connections of Mehr Fayaz with the PTI candidate for NA-66, Mr Farrukh Altaf.

They said Shahbaz Sharif sought intervention of AJ&K premier to pacify Raja Awais since Raja Farooq Haider had family terms with the disgruntled leader.

Mr Awais’s father Raja Khalid too was an MPA. Awais had got PML-N ticket in 2013 after the then MPA from Sohawa, Chaudhary Saqlain, joined the PTI and contested election for National Assembly. Raja Awais had won the seat.

The sources added that Raja Farooq Haider managed to convince Raja Awais to support the party candidates who would formally announce the decision in a couple of days.

As per local observers, such an arrangement would strengthen the PML-N position in the constituency.

Published in Dawn, July 9th, 2018