PML-QA faces crisis

While Mian Azhar, the chief of the Pakistan Muslim League, Quaid-e-Azam (PML-QA), kicked off his party's election campaign by spending almost two days in the constituency of his brother, Mian Ashraf, in Lahore, the decision to nominate his brother for a National Assembly seat has given rise to a fierce row within the party.

Other PML-QA leaders argue that by putting Mian Ashraf forward in NA-120, Mian Azhar is "giving the seat away".

Ashraf is not a known politician and, other than being the brother of Azhar, is not known at all in political circles. His nomination from a key Lahore seat has come as a surprise, and party sources maintain "this is entirely Azhar's doing".

The action has also led to accusations of nepotism and bias against Azhar, with complaints said to have even been made to members of the military regime, which is backing the PML-QA.

It is also thought that certain officials are, in fact, playing a key role in party affairs, and an appeal has been made to them to intervene in this matter.

Among others, the powerful Chaudhry family, led by former interior minister Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, is said to have spoken out against the awarding of the ticket to Ashraf.

The fact that Azhar persisted in doing so is said to have resulted in greater ill-feeling within the party.

Azhar has already come under attack for being a weak leader and lacking popular appeal.