LAHORE, Mar 04 (DNA): As elections to the Punjab Assembly are due to be
held on April 30, several PTI leaders are eyeing the seat of the Punjab
chief minister.

However, there is no doubt that former prime minister and PTI Chairman
Imran Khan will announce the name of the party’s candidate for the
coveted post.

Here are the names of PTI leaders who are termed favourites.

Former Punjab chief minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, who has recently
joined the PTI as party’s central president, tops the list of leaders
most likely to be nominated for the position.

An important point to note is that Chaudhry Pervaiz has always aspired
for the position.

Last time senior politician made a serious effort in this direction was
in 1985 when he had tabled a no-trust motion against the then chief
minister Nawaz Sharif in the Punjab Assembly, but failed in his attempt.

Although he remained associated with the PML-N even afterwards, but when
he got an opportunity under late President General Pervaiz Musharraf, he
formed a party of his own named Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q).

Later, he was elected Punjab chief minister in the elections held when
Musharraf was the president. He remained the chief minister for a period
of five years.

And when PTI came to power in 2018, he again started eyeing the post.

And finally his wish was fulfilled when the Usman Buzdar-led PTI
government in the province was shown the door.

Although, he ruled for a few months, but his stay in office was a
memorable one because of the projects of public welfare he initiated.

The second important name on the list of PTI favourites is that of
former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi.

Qureshi wanted to become the Punjab chief minister after the general
elections of 2018, but he could not win his provincial assembly seat.

Even today he is seen grumbling that he was made to lose on that seat.

Third person on the list is Fawad Chaudhry, former federal minister and
a PTI stalwart from Jhelum. He sought the removal of Usman Buzdar as the
chief minister.

These days, he is seen lobbying in the party for the prized seat.

Yet another PTI leader, who is a potential candidate for the position of
Punjab chief minister is Hammad Azhar, who hails from Lahore and is a
son of former Punjab governor Mian Muhammad Azhar.

There can be several female members of the PTI who must be dreaming
about becoming the CM of the country’s largest province
(population-wise). Even Imran had hinted at it during his media talk
yesterday.

Following his talk, female leaders in the party have started lobbying.
The most noticeable among them is Dr. Yasmin Rashid, who remained
Punjab’s health minister when Buzdar was the CM.

And although there is strong opposition to his candidature, the
possibility of Sardar Usman Buzdar’s nomination cannot be ruled out
either.