Traditional political families hold sway in local elections

By Raja Riaz

No new face could emerge following the elections of the district nazims in Punjab which were swept by old political families, negates the government claims that common people would be empowered through the devolution of power to the grass-root level. The list of newly-elected district nazims includes candidates backed by same political families: Leghari, Mazari, Dreshak, Jatt and Rajpoot. Here is a brief detail of the elected district nazims, their families and relationships. Attock District Nazim Major Tahir Sadiq is new in the politics as he entered the field in the 2001 local government elections. He is brother-in-law of PML-Q President Chaudhary Shujaat Hussain. It is leant that District Nankana Sahb, the 35th district of the province, was created to accommodate Syeds of this area. District Nazim Mumtaz Ali Shah is uncle of Brig Syed Ejaz Shah who has served as the Punjab home secretary and now is serving as the chief of a secret agency. Brig Ejaz has personal links with President Pervez Musharraf and nomination of Mumtaz Ali Shah was the result of it. Bahawalpur District Nazim Tariq Bashir Cheema is the son of Bashir Cheema who is a noted personality of the area and has served in the Nawab of Bahawalpur’s cabinet. Tariq Cheema was backed by the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and has served as the provincial food minister in the Watoo government. The Cheema family is politically influential in two districts—Bahawalpur and Bahawalnagar. Bahawalnagar District Nazim Mian Mumtaz Mitiana resigns his National Assembly seat to contest the election. Bhakkar District Nazim Hameed Akbar Niwani is brother of Provincial Minister for Jails Saeed Akbar Niwani and MNA Raheed Akbar Niwani. The three brothers are nephews of Azam Khan who was an MNA in 70s and a retired police officer. Chakwal District Nazim Sardar Ghulam Abbas is in politics for the last decade and had a strong political background. This district created some waves in the political arena on General Majeed Malik’s issue. Dera Ghazi Khan District Nazim Sardar Maqsood Ahmad Khan Leghari is the first cousin of Farooq Ahmad Khan Leghari, former Pakistan president and chief of the Leghari tribe. Faisalabad District Nazim Rana Zahid Tauseef Khan belongs to an influential Rajpoot family of the area. He served in the Nawaz Sharif cabinet and as the provincial minister for communication and works. The Gujranwala district nazim is a son of noted politician Hamid Nasir Chatta. The Chatta family has been playing an active role in politics since the creation of Pakistan. Gujrat District Nazim Chaudhary Shaffat Hussain is the brother of PML-Q Chief Chaudhary Shujat Hussain and cousin of Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervez Elahi. Hafizabad District Nazim Mubashar Hasan Bhatti is brother of MNA Mehdi Hasan Bhatti and uncle of provincial minister Shaukat Ali Bhatti. The Bhatti family got power in 1985 in non-party basis elections and since then they are in the power corridors in various capacities. Jhang District Nazim Sahibzada Hameed Sultan is a retired bureaucrat and brother of former PPP and now PML-Q leader Sahibzada Nazir Sultan. Nazir Sultan was elected MNA from Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan’s (JUP) platform in 1970 elections. Jhelum District Nazim Farukh Altaf is son of former Punjab governor Chaudhary Altaf Hussain and PPP leader. Farukh Altaf is the nephew of Lahore High Court Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhary. Kasur District Nazim Rana Hayat Ahmad Khan is the nephew of late Rana Phool Muhammad Khan who won the first election in the Ayub era and did not lose any election till his death. Hayat’s cousin Rana Iqbal has served as the Kasur District Council chairman and provincial minister. Khanewal District Nazim Ahmad Yar Hiraj is brother of state minister Ahmed Yar Hiraj and cousin of Ali Raza Hiraj and son of former federal minister Allah Yar Hiraj. The Hiraj family entered in politics in late 80s. District Nazim Khushab Ghulam Muhammad Tiwana is a member of influential family of the area that dominates at the political scene of the district before the partition of the sub-continent. They have links with the establishment and political families. Lahore District Nazim Mian Amir Mahmood started his political career as a councillor. He does not hail from any political family. Backed by Mian Azhar, then PML-Q chief, he became the district nazims but parted his ways and joined Chaudhry of Gujrat. Layyah District Nazim Ghulam Haider Thind has a strong political background. He has been in the power corridors since 1985. Lodhran District Nazim Abdur Rehman Kanjo is the son of late Siddique Kanjo. Mandi Bahauddin District Nazim Chaudhary Riaz Asghar is brother-in-law of Chaudhary Shujaat. Mianwali District Nazim Haji Obaidullah Khan Shadikhel is a tribal chief of the area and has a political background. Multan District Nazim Faisal Mukhtar is a businessman and entered in politics with the support of the Chaudhries of Gujrat. Muzaffargarh District Nazim Abdul Qayyum Jatoi belongs to an influential political family. His cousin, Nasrullah Jatie, was a minister in Ghulam Haider Wyne’s cabinet. Narowal District Nazim Dr Nematullah Javed is father of Provincial Minister for Health Dr Tahir Ali Javed and is new in politics. Okara District Nazim Syed Asad Gillani is cousin of Provincial Minister for Housing Syed Ali Raza Gillani and nephew of Syed Afzal Shah Gillani. The Syeds of Hujra are in power corridors for the last four decades. The family has established links with the military too. Pakpattan District Nazim Rao Naeem Hashim is a PPP leader and one of his brothers is a senior bureaucrat. Rahimyar Khan District Nazim Sardar Rafique Haider Leghari is also a relative of the Legharis of DG Khan. He recently changed his loyalties to get the district nazim slot. Rajanpur District Nazim Ali Raza Dreshak is son of MNA Nasrullah Dreshak and brother of Punjab Finance Minister Hasnain Bahadar Dreshak. Rawalpindi District Nazim Raja Javed Ikhlas is a former provincial minister and has contacts with the military establishment that ensured his nomination to this slot. Sahiwal District Nazim Rai Mansab defeated the nephew of the provincial minister and senior PML-Q leader, Arshad Khan Lodhi. He belongs to a Rajpoot family of the area and has political links with Farooq Leghari. Sargodha District Nazim Inamul Haq Piracha also changed his loyalties to get the top slot. The Piracha family is an influential family of the area and has been in politics for the last decade. Sheikhupura District Nazim Mian Jalil Sharqpuri is the son of Mian Jameel Ahmad Sharqpuri who is a spiritual leader and entered in politics in 1977 from the PNA platform. His brother Saeed Sharpuri was an MPA. Sialkot District Nazim Akmal Cheema is brother of Provincial Minister for Industries Ajmal Cheema. Ajmal Cheema’s son is married with the niece of Chaudhary Shujaat Hussain. Toba Tek Singh District Nazim Chaudhry Abdussattar belongs to an influential Arian family of the area. He entered in politics with support of Gen Ziaul Haq. Vehari District Nazim Syed Shahid Mehdi Naseem is a PML-N leader and started political career in 1988. His father Syed Mehdi Hasan was an influential landlord.The Post