Aamir Liaquat, Javed Hashmi submit nomination papers

KARACHI: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Aamir Liaquat Hussain and veteran Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz leader Javed Hashmi on Monday submitted nomination papers for NA-245 (Karachi) and NA-155 (Multan), respectively.

It was earlier reported that Javed Hashmi will not contest the upcoming elections, however on Monday Hashmi changed his mind and approached the ECP office to file his nomination papers.

A long time PML-N loyalist, Hashmi’s move to leave PML-N and join PTI in 2011 had surprised all. He was elected the PTI president in 2013 intra-party polls and then in 2013 general elections, won from both the constituencies he contested from Islamabad and in Multan from the platform of PTI.

However, he fell out of party’s favour after opposing publicly the party’s decision to hold mass protests against then PM Nawaz Sharif and subsequently resigned from both the party and the parliament.

Similarly, Aamir Liaquat was earlier denied ticket by the PTI that prompted resentment from the latter. Subsequently, Imran spoke to the leader and all issues pertaining to party ticket apparently stood resolved.

PTI chief had advised Aamir Liaquat to not take any decision in haste as party tickets would be awarded after a review by party’s parliamentary board and no single person is authorised to make a decision in this regard. Imran said he was final authority in granting tickets to party leaders.

After a clash at PTI’s Karachi office between two groups last week, Aamir Liaquat threatened to quit the party and accused Firdous Shamim Naqvi of abusing him.

The TV anchor had joined the party on March 19 despite workers’ disapproval.

The PTI workers a week ago vandalised party’s Insaf House in Karachi after Imran Khan announced Firdous Naqvi as the candidate for PS-102, one of the provincial assembly constituencies in the metropolis.