PTI situation in NA-133: Rejection of Cheema’s papers disappoints party workers

LAHORE: The rejection of PTI candidate Jamshed Iqbal Cheema' s nomination papers for NA 133 has not only exposed many loopholes in the PTI organisation but also showed a visible disappointment in the ranks of the party workers as not many of them had applied for the ticket of the ruling party this time.

The NA 133 seat fell vacant after the death of PMLN MNA Parvaiz Malik who had won the seat in 2018 general elections. Pervaiz Malik emerged victorious while getting around 89,000 votes and the PTI candidate, Ejaz Chaudhry, stood at number two with around 77,000 votes. Ejaz Chaudhry is a senator now and his focus is mainly on the parliamentary politics.

Within days after the seat fell vacant, the PTI leadership awarded ticket to Jamshed Iqbal Cheema who is already serving as special assistant to the prime minister. His wife, a member of Punjab Assembly, Musarrat Jamshed Cheema, was made the covering candidate. This is noteworthy that PTI is the party which has been opposing and criticising the leadership of other parties for turning their political parties into family fief or supporting nepotism.

But in a stark contrast, two people of the same family were made candidate and the covering candidate and the local organisation did not bother to file nomination papers of other party members from a constituency where it got above 77,000 votes just three years ago. Even if the party got half number of votes in the by-polls, it could have created an upset.

Moreover, another sad aspect after the mistake of the party leadership regarding this constituency is the depressed situation of the workers. Muhammed Madni was the only prominent figure who showed interest in contesting the by-polls, though the ticket was hurriedly announced for Jamshed Iqbal Cheema.

The criticism of party leadership over the issue of governance, particularly its inability to control price hike have created a sense of uncertainty in the PTI cadres and this has become the main reason that not a very healthy or vibrant response was received from the workers in applying for the party ticket or even filing nomination papers.

The nomination papers of Jamshed Iqbal Cheema were rejected after the objections were raised from PMLN that the approver and seconder of the PTI candidate did not belong to NA 133. On the other hand, the PTI leadership criticised Election Commission and claimed there existed no such issue as the approver and seconder belonged to the same constituency.

This is also interesting to note that Jamshed Iqbal Cheema has contested the 2013 and 2018 general elections which means he is well aware of this legal issue. Two times his nomination papers have been accepted by the ECP, in 2013 and 2018, but rejection of his papers in the by polls raised many questions. Some sections in the party circles also believe that the party leadership has shown a very casual attitude to NA 133 by-polls after realising that it would not be easy to defeat PMLN in this constituency of Lahore due to the issues related to the performance of the government.

However, MPA Musarrat Jamshed Cheema, asserts that their papers have been rejected wrongly by the EC and the PTI is moving court against this decision. “Hundred percent, the approver and seconder belong to the same constituency” said Musarrat Jamshed while talking to The News. She said the party is moving court and hopefully justice would be done in this regard. This is pertinent to mention that in case the PTI doesn't get any relief, the contest would be between the PMLN and PPP.