News Item: THE POST

MULTAN: Iftikhar Randhawa, leader of MQM, has said that in spite of strong opposition by PML (Q), Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) has decided to put its candidates in urban areas in Punjab and around 80 percent candidates would be lawyers.

Talking to newsmen here he said that large number of lawyers had contacted the Punjab Organising Committee (POC) of the party to contest the forthcoming general elections. He said that POC had finalised the names of candidates from over 20 districts, including Multan, Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, Lodhran, Layyah, Muzarffargarh, Khanewal, Gujranwala, Khushab, Jhang, Rahimyar Khan, Mandi Bahauddin, Vehari, Jhelum, Sargodha, Khanewal and Mianwali.

He said MQM chief Altaf Hussain had advised the organising committee to concentrate on Southern Punjab because a sizeable Muhajir population lives in the Seraiki areas. The Pakistan Lawyers Forum said the MQM played a negative role in the lawyers' movement, but the lawyers were free to contest from the party of their choice.

Rafique Ahmed Bhatti, an MQM nominated candidate from Kot Addu, said he had join the party because it always fought for the rights of neglected classes.

original link:

http://thepost.com.pk/NatNewsT.aspx?dtlid=130532&catid=2

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