Journalist Community to elect LPC governing body on 30th December

Lahore : With the siren of clock at 12 AM 29th of December Election campaign for Lahore Press Club elections 2018-19 ended up with the hopes of victory for the candidates who remained busy to attract voters in their favour .

Normally , rival groups Journalist and Progressive were competing over the decades promising the voters to serve them better but this time the traditional groups have come up with new allies which was amazingly not fully accepted by the both groups members .

Journalist Group stood by PFUJ Burna Islamabad Chapter led by Afzal Butt and its PUJ had long association with them despite all differences.

Another PFUJ was running by Rana Azim who was doing politics in Lahore and was a natural ally of Progressive Group which did not have any political rivalry at Union level with Rana Azim Group.

Progressive Group’s key leader Raja Riaz made alliance with a former PFUJ president Pervaiz Shokat and formed third PFUJ which was disliked by Rana Azim and his fellows but later Progressive Group launched its own PUJ and selected body to run union affairs which offended the allies.

The incumbent president of Lahore Press Club Azam Ch stood by Rana Azim and his PUJ led by Shahzad Butt which shakened the strong grip of Progressive Group on local politics. Internal differences of the group caused grouping within group and as the governing body announced LPC election schedule,all the allies except Paa Yasin Group , left Progressive with warning to teach a lesson and formed a political alliance with Journalist Group against whom they contest elections and used foul language to undermine them.

Journalist Group president Arshad Ansari who was also contesting LPC election as presidential candidate
welcomed them and announced alliance without satisfying his own fellows resulting so many active members of Journalist Group left election campaign in middle in protest just a few days before the elections and launched campaign on social media against the candidates representing new ally “Progressive Lovers”who claimed to have decisive votes for elections.

Progressive Group somehow managed to gather maximum strength of the group with an ally PUJ Dastoor and Paa Yasin . It given ticket on the slot of SVP to Dastoor’s candidate Rehman Bhutta who was recently fired from Daily Waqt as the Jang Administration closed the paper and leading the unemployed staff but no candidate of Paa Yasin could be accommodated in the panel . Paa Yasin was with Progressive but his key member Shadab Riaz announced to contest LPC election for secretary as an Independent Candidate.

Journalist Group’s Shafiq Awan also contesting election for secretary in protest against the new alliance . He was not taken seriously by the president Arshad Ansari and his advisors but his constant campaign has puzzled the group’s candidate Shahzad Hussain Butt. Now there are 4 candidates for secretary , all candidates have their own vote bank in the community except the group’s vote. If they all stood firm in contesting elections than whoever independent candidate take more votes , his panel candidate would lose the election.

Shafiq Awan apparently doing an aggressive campaign in comparison to Shadab Riaz and approaching all the voters of journalist group especially who displeased on the alliance with progressive lovers. If he managed to keep momentum till the polling time ends , he would have given surprising results.

Both presidential candidates Arshad Ansari and Shahbaz Mian are positive about their success but Arshad ansari has an edge upon his opponent.

SVP slot has also looking going towards the journalist panel as its candidate Zulfiqar Mehtu was leading the pre election polls vice Rehman Bhutta who was leading struggle about the restoration of Daily Waqt Staff . He was a good candidate but not better than former SVP Mujtaba Bajwa who was not adjusted by the Progressive panel.

Progressive panel’s candidate for Vice President Jawad Rizvi has an edge upon his opponent Nasira Atiq.Candidates for Treasurer slot Salik Nawaz and Zaheer Baber are good and representing their original groups ,whoever succeeded to bring his voters on election day to polling centre would celebrate the victory. Joint secretary slot would be fought between Progressive Naveed Alam and Progressive Lover Hafiz Faiz , it would be a worth seeing competition.

Governing Body looked divided in both groups as Journalist ‘s Rajab Sheikh , Azhar Maqbool , Rana Tahir , Toseef Akram , Progressive lovers Shahid Ch , Ahmad Raza and Qasim Raza ,Workers Fathir Shah , Progressive’s Saif Ullah Cheema , Gul Nawaz , Husnain Ch , Fatima Mukhtar Bhatti , Dr Shujaat are potential candidates . Though voters decision could glorify any candidate who apparently not looking in the race. And result is not far away than a few hours. Anyway best of luck to all the candidates.