Ch. Sher Ali versus PMLN: LB polls making cracks in ruling party
By Manzoor Malik
Faisalabad, Pakistan: Infighting between Ch. Sher Ali and Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) has intensified and real reasons are coming on surface now. Ch. Shar Ali is reportedly fielding a group of councilors in forthcoming Local Bodies elections with a Tonga as its symbol.
Ch. Sher Ali is a relative of Prime Minister Mian Nawaz Sharif and he was introduced in politics from Faisalabad in early 90s by Mian Shahbaz Sharif and had been a strong supporter of PML (N). His son Ch. Abid Shar Ali is a state minister in federal cabinet.
Ch. Shar Ali held a press conference in Islamabad on last Thursday and accused provincial Law minister Rana Sanaullah Khan for killing over 15 people. He strongly criticized Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif. This press conference was not unexpected because differences have become stronger after distribution of party tickets for forthcoming Local Bodies elections. Rana Sanaullah Khan group is getting lion share in LB polls tickets while Ch. Shar is being ignored by Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif. In his press conference, Ch. Shar Ali lashed out Chief Minister Punjab Mian Shahbaz Sharif for incompetency and said he could not control NA-122 elections in Lahore where Ch. Abid Ali was also a part of lead team of election campaigning.
Ch. Shar Ali believes that Mian family is disgracing party workers in the hands of Rana Sanaullah and PMLN did not issue tickets in LB elections to 75 die hard and deserving party workers from Faisalabad.
Circles close to Ch. Shar Ali claim that he will not surrender and situation will not be pleasant for PMLN in Faisalabad.
It may be mentioned that Rana Sanaullah Khan started his parliamentarian career from Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) though he actually belongs to a radical religious party. He then joined Mian Nawaz Sharif. Rana Sanaullah Khan is known as “unbeatable” in Punjab politics and this is first time that any PMLN leader has challenged his writ.
PMLN insider claim that Prime Minister Mian Nawaz Sharif has directed his daughter Maryam Nawaz to intervene into affair and talk to Ch. Shar Ali who is her uncle also. Faisalabad city is considered as strong hold of PMLN and any rift in this industrial city can hamper political standing of PMLN in Punjab.
