ISLAMABAD, June 22, 2026: Former assembly candidate Pir Syed Murtaza Gilani has expressed strong reservations over reports that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz may award a party ticket to Chaudhry Shehzad, saying the decision would disappoint loyal and ideological workers of the party.

Addressing an emergency press conference at the National Press Club Islamabad, Gilani said PML-N workers who stood with the party during difficult times should not be ignored in the ticket-awarding process. He was accompanied by party workers and local office-bearers from the constituency.

Gilani alleged that Chaudhry Shehzad had previously left PML-N and joined Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf. He claimed that Shehzad had not honoured an oath taken on the Holy Quran and said awarding a ticket to such a person would be unfair to party workers.

He urged the PML-N leadership to respect the sacrifices and sentiments of long-standing workers, saying political loyalty and commitment should be the main criteria for awarding the party ticket.

Gilani said he had remained active in the constituency after 2021 and continued public contact campaigns. He also claimed that he had organized a major rally from Muzaffarabad on the return of party leader Nawaz Sharif.

He appealed to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Rana Sanaullah and other senior PML-N leaders to take notice of the concerns raised by workers. Gilani said he had already conveyed his reservations to the party leadership.

According to Gilani, all local organizations and office-bearers in the constituency were standing with him. He said the party had the ability to secure a major victory from the constituency if the ticket was awarded on merit.

Gilani said that if he was not awarded the ticket, former Azad Jammu and Kashmir prime minister Raja Farooq Haider should be considered as the candidate. He said he would extend unconditional support to Raja Farooq Haider if the party awarded him the ticket.

However, he warned that if the ticket decision was made against merit, party workers would decide their future course of action through consultation. He said ignoring workers’ concerns could harm the party politically.

Speaking at the press conference, PML-N workers also demanded that election tickets be awarded to loyal and ideological party members. They said those who kept the party flag raised during the difficult period after 2021 should not be overlooked.

The workers declared Gilani a strong candidate for the constituency and claimed that if he received the ticket, they would work to win the seat for PML-N.

They also voiced concern over reports of Chaudhry Shehzad being considered for the party ticket, alleging that he had abandoned PML-N during a difficult phase.

The workers appealed to Nawaz Sharif, Shehbaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz to make a decision in favour of loyal party workers and address their grievances.

They said workers from Muzaffarabad had travelled to Islamabad to convey their concerns directly to the party leadership and reaffirmed their commitment to keeping PML-N united and strong.

The speakers said they would continue raising their voice for public rights, basic issues and the representation of ordinary citizens. They also said they would oppose any statement against Pakistan and the armed forces.

The press conference concluded with the workers calling on the PML-N leadership to make a fair and merit-based decision before launching the party’s election campaign in the constituency.

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