New Province, New Chief Minister: Who Would Be the Best Choice to Lead Faisalabad Division?
LAHORE: If different regions of Punjab are granted the status of separate provinces, who would lead these new provinces? Should existing political figures be given the opportunity to become chief ministers, or would the public prefer new and capable leadership?
To find out, Azad Digital asked people in different divisions of Punjab about their preferences and opinions. In this report, the focus is on Faisalabad, Punjab’s third-largest city, and its division comprising Jhang, Toba Tek Singh and Chiniot. If the division is turned into a separate province, choosing its political leadership would become an important issue.
According to the views expressed by Faisalabad residents, the three most prominent names being discussed for the chief minister’s position are Rana Sanaullah, Abid Sher Ali and Qaiser Sheikh.
Rana Sanaullah is a senior Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader from Faisalabad. He has held key positions, including Federal Interior Minister and Punjab Law Minister, and has also been elected as an MNA and MPA several times.
Qaiser Sheikh is a PML-N politician who has served as a member of the National Assembly and has remained active in parliamentary and government affairs.
Abid Sher Ali, another prominent PML-N leader from Faisalabad, has served as a member of the National Assembly and as Minister of State for Water and Power.
Speaking exclusively to Azad Digital, several Faisalabad residents said Rana Sanaullah was their first choice because of his long political experience and alleged contribution to development projects in the city.
One citizen said Rana Sanaullah had been elected as an MNA and MPA several times and that major development work had been carried out during his tenure, particularly in the fields of healthcare and education. He added that if Faisalabad were made a separate province, the people would welcome the move.
Another resident said that if Faisalabad Division became a province, Rana Sanaullah, the Sahi brothers and Abid Sher Ali could be considered for leadership, noting their political influence and development work in the region.
Residents of Chiniot said their first preference for the chief minister would be Rana Sanaullah, followed by Qaiser Sheikh. They credited Qaiser Sheikh with contributing to several development projects, including the establishment of a national university, improved availability of medicines and development of industrial projects.
🚨فیصل آباد ڈویژن صوبہ بنا تو رانا ثنا اللہ وزیراعلیٰ کی پہلی ترجیح ہو سکتے ہیں، فیصل آباد کے شہریوں کا کہنا ہے کہ جھنگ سے فیصل صالح حیات اور چنیوٹ سے حسن مرتضیٰ بھی سیاست کے بڑے نام ہیں، تاہم وزیراعلیٰ اسی کو ہونا چاہیے جو مؤثر انداز میں ڈیلیور کر سکے۔۔۔@RanaSanaullahPK pic.twitter.com/KOdEnO9ZV8
— Azaad Urdu (@azaad_urdu) September 4, 2026
Another citizen said Rana Sanaullah could emerge as a potential chief minister from Faisalabad, while former federal minister Makhdoom Faisal Saleh Hayat was also considered an important political figure.
A resident of Toba Tek Singh said the Waraich family had considerable political influence in the area and expressed a preference for seeing a member of the family become chief minister.
Overall, residents of Faisalabad Division said that if a new province were created, Rana Sanaullah would be their first choice for chief minister. They also mentioned Qaiser Sheikh from Chiniot and Hassan Murtaza as other prominent political figures.
The residents, however, emphasized that the chief minister should ultimately be someone capable of delivering development and effectively serving the people.
