The elections of district, tehsil, and town Nazims have been rescheduled and now it will now be held on October 6 instead of September 29. Election Commission Secretary Kanwar Muhammad Dilshad said delayed polling in Qila Abdullah and re-polling in various other union councils were the major causes for change in schedule for the elections of district/tehsil Nazims.
However, political pundits believed that the change in schedule was to serve the ruling PML and provide it an opportunity to overcome the upheaval and internal bickering in the party since the beginning of the local bodies elections. They said the local bodies' elections emanated the party as a group of individuals instead of a party to safeguard their interests.
Sources in the ruling coalition, however, said that nominations for the Nazim slots by Punjab Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi has further divided the party as some senior leaders were considering nominations as direct interference in their political constituencies.
The final local government showdown which was to be held on September 29 has been shifted to October 6 nonetheless the time would be utilised as an opportunity to bridge differences in the PML to avoid another embarrassment in the elections of district Nazims.
Party appeared to be divided more in Punjab where ministers' backed candidates contested against each other in many districts.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Dr Sher Afgan had accused the Punjab chief minister of violating the code of conduct by announcing his support to favourite candidates.
The PML president reviewed the two phases of the elections and said that he would immediately take steps to resolve disputes within the party and urged the leaders to avoid making controversial press statements.
The PML is facing embarrassment in Chakwal district as well where Majid Malik, the senior vice president of the party, claimed to have been opposed by the Punjab chief minister.
The situation further worsened for the PML in Rahimyar Khan district after serious differences between Pervaiz Elahi and Industries and Production Minister Jehangir Tareen came into light.
A similar situation is being witnessed in Attock district where Minister of State for Environment Malik Amin Aslam and Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Chairman Malik Allah Yar Khan have opposed Tahir Sadiq's nomination for the district Nazim slot.
The sources said that Farooq Leghari was also infuriated over the support to the Dareshaks in Rajanpur.
Acting Chief Election Commissioner Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar has revised the schedule for elections of Zila Nazims, Tehsil/Town Nazims and seats reserved for women, peasants/workers and minority communities in Zila Councils and Tehsil/Town Councils in all districts/city districts of the Province of Punjab, Sindh, NWFP and Balochistan.