LAHORE: The ARD [Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy] component parties have decided to pit joint candidates against Shaukat Aziz who is contesting for two National Assembly seats.
| How does one contest for two NA seats? Two addresses? Or a split personality? Or are they talking about candidates who're loyal to Shaukat? |
The heads of ARD parties gathered in Lahore on Monday and discussed the latest political situation of the country. When contacted by The News ARD Chairman Makhdoom Amin Fahim said, "We have decided to pit joint candidates against Shaukat Aziz from NA-59 (Attock-111) and NA-229 (Tharparkar-1). We have realised that not fielding of joint candidates in the by-elections has harmed us and this is why we shall field our joint candidates against Shaukat Aziz. We are considering the names of various candidates including ARD President and Acting PML-N candidate Makhdoom Javed Hashmi and Asif Zardari. But there are many legal complications. Hashmi has been sentenced for 23 years of rigorous imprisonment in a sedition case, while Zardari is in prison for the last seven years.
| Ahhh... I think I see your problem... |
In the second session of the meeting we will finalize the names of ARD candidates against Shaukat Aziz." When asked whether there was any chance of fielding MMA-ARD joint candidates against Shaukat Aziz, Makhdoom said, "MMA is the B-team of the present regime and we cannot trust it." |