Disgruntled Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Daniyal Aziz, who was left out among the party’s ticket distribution, will contest the much-awaited general elections as an independent candidate.
The politician confirmed during an interview to a private TV channel that he will contest the February 8 polls from NA-75 constituency in his hometown Narowal where PML-N has fielded Chaudhry Anwaar ul Haq instead.
Of the two seats in the National Assembly and four provincial representative seats, the party did not issue a single ticket to veteran politics. Daniyal, on the other hand, said that he did not ask for a ticket because he was hospitalized.
“I will be competing from NA-75,” he said.
When asked if he would contest not only against other political parties but also against his party PML-N, the politician said, “Yes, it is.”
Daniyal revealed that he did not speak to anyone from the party about getting a ticket to the party. “I will definitely fight the election, my mission is to end inflation.”
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According to him, his wife will also contest the polls as an independent candidate.
The politician’s relations with his party soured after his rift with fellow politician Ahsan Iqbal, who also hails from Narowal.
In November last year, Daniyal had fired back at Iqbal, saying that the PML-N’s reputation had been badly damaged due to its failure to control inflation during the last Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM)-led coalition government.
He questioned why the former planning minister could not control record inflation when he was chairman of the price monitoring committee.
Following his remarks against a colleague, the party issued a notice to Daniyal and asked him to clarify his statement within seven days.
Meanwhile, the politician said today that the PML-N had given the ticket to an “unknown man” who is not a member of the party, leaving him out because he was speaking for the public.
“There is power politics at play. The old ones prevailed. They hardened,” said the former minister.
He added that the most important problem for people is inflation. “I will stand for election because inflation must be eliminated.”
The politician said that if he is getting such treatment from his party for speaking against inflation, then he has no regrets.
“I will continue to talk about inflation. If there is a reward for those responsible for fraud, then yes,” he added.
