SWAT  - Election activities were in full swing at the National Assembly constituency NA-30, Swat Valley. Total of 25 candidates of different political parties were trying their luck in the May 11 general elections. Total of 981,924 registered voters would cast votes for two NA and seven PK seats in the valley. Swat having 1,257,602 population is divided into two constituencies of the National Assembly NA-29 and NA-30.The NA-29 is consisted of urban areas and has greater importance.
PML-N Senior Vice President Engineer Amir Muqam is running his election campaign from Swat. Salim-ur Rehman is the nominated candidate of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf while Syed Allauddin, former MNA, is the nominated candidate of PPP. A tough contest is expected between PML-N and PTI. 
Maulana Hafeez ur Rahman of JUI-F, Kamal Shah of Awami Workers Party, Dr Fazal-e-Subhan of Jamaat-e-Islami, Amjad Ali Khan of QWP, Khurshid Khan of ANP, Moeen Badshah of JUP, Maulana Rashid Ahmed of JUI-S and are also in the field.  In the last general elections, Syed Alla ud Din Khan of PPP was the elected MNA who had secured 24,063 votes. But unfortunately the former MNA is totally out of screen for the last five years.
After winning the election, he moved to Islamabad and never appeared in Swat. He was oblivious to the fact that he was the elected member of the people and was sent to Islamabad for the development of area.
On the other hand, Engineer Amir Muqam is striving hard by arranging public and corner meetings to clinch the seat. Influential of upper Swat Shujat Ali Khan and Jamal Nasir Khan having good vote bank in the area have recently joined PML-N. 
PTI candidate Salimur Rehman was former PPP leader and his father late Mehboob ur Rahamn spent 40 years with the party. But PPP Provincial President Anwar Saifullah awarded party ticket to Syed Alauddin, ignoring Salim ur Rehman family as a result he left PPP in disgust and accepted PTI offer as a candidate for NA-30. Salim ur rehman is also counted a strong candidate for NA-30 constituency.
Meanwhile, a neck and neck competition is expected between Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Syed Mohammad Ali Shah and Murad Saeed of Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) at NA-29 in the upcoming general elections on May 11.  All major political parties have started feverish election campaigns for the seat.
The PML-N and PTI are considered to be the main competitors while the position of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) is not so strong in the constituency.
However, Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) will also compete with PTI and PML-N to a great extent as the party has an enough vote bank.
Akhter Ali Khan is Jamaat-i-Islami candidate for NA-29 while Muzafar-ul-Mulk is the nominated candidate of ANP for the constituency.
The PPP has fielded new face Dost Mohammad Khan for NA-29 but real competition will be between PML-N Syed Mohammad Ali Shah and PTI Murad Saeed at NA-29, SWAT-1.
PML-N candidate Syed Mohammad Ali Shah Bacha has a strong vote bank in the area as he won this constituency earlier.  On the other hand, PTI candidate Murad Saeed is fresh and new. He was the founder of ISF and youth of Swat are fully supporting the PTI candidate. Murad Saeed is arranging public meetings in the valley and is working hard to win the seat.
Earlier, PTI Chairman Imran Khan has also contested twice from NA-29 but could not get the seat. In 1997 general elections, Imran Khan was declared third after getting 10,716 votes while PML-N leader Miangul Aurangzeb won the seat by securing 25,018 votes. In 2002 voting, Imran Khan once again fought elections from the same constituency and could get 6,660 votes. He was forth in the row while late Qari Abdul Bais of MMA had emerged victorious. The election campaigns of all political parties are in full swing in Swat.