Chaudhry Salik Hussain denies backing Qazi Ibrahim Gujjar in NA-77 by-election

Federal Minister for Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development Chaudhry Salik Hussain has denied reports that he announced support for Qazi Ibrahim Gujjar in the NA-77 by-election, Daily Jang reported on Saturday.

According to Daily Jang, Salik Hussain said: "I have neither supported Qazi Ibrahim Gujjar in the by-election, nor has anyone from his party spoken to me." The report gives the quote in Urdu; this is a translation. He also said no office bearer of his party had been contacted about the matter.

The Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) also rejected the reports, according to 24 News. The party said neither Salik Hussain nor his elder brother, Chaudhry Shafay Hussain, had officially announced support for any candidate in the constituency.

PML-Q said the decision to back Qazi Ibrahim Gujjar was taken independently by its local organisation in Gujranwala. It said that decision should not be attributed to Salik Hussain or to the central leadership, and that the party has not yet taken a formal decision on the by-election.

24 News reported that the party's district organisation in NA-77 decided at its own level not to support the PML-N candidate.

The channel also reported that PML-Q workers are unhappy with repeated criticism of Salik Hussain by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz and her team. Workers in Gujranwala and other parts of the country are reportedly resentful of what they describe as a targeted campaign against him.

The NA-77 seat in Gujranwala fell vacant after the death of PML-N MNA Mehmood Bashir Virk. Daily Jang reported that polling is due the day after its report. It also reported that the Election Commission issued a notice to Ata Tarar over an alleged code of conduct violation in the by-election, issued by the District Monitoring Officer.