PESHAWAR - The Awami National Party Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (ANP) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Monday nominated their candidates for four National Assembly seats in Peshawar and 11 seats of provincial assembly.
The candidates of ANP include Ghulam Ahmad Bilour (NA-1), Arbab Najeebullah, (NA-2), Arbab Inam (NA-3) and Arbab Ayub Jan for (NA-4), Asfandyar Wali Khan (NA-07), Ameer Haider Khan Hoti (NA-9) and PK-23.
For provincial assembly seats Ghazanfar Bilour has been nominated for PK-1, Malik Mustafa (PK-2), Haroon Bilour (PK-03), Syed Aqil Shah (PK-04), Arbab Tahir (PK-5), Alamgir (PK-06), Aziz Ghafar (PK-07), Arbab Nazir (PK-8), Arbab Usman (PK-09), Khushdil Khan (PK-10) and Saqib Chamkani (PK-11) and Mian Iftikhar Hussain (PK-12) Nowshera.
Similarly, the Provincial Parliamentary Board of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) also announced names for the National Assembly and provincial assembly seats, which include the names of Azam Khan for NA-1, Dr Arbab Alamgir (NA-2), Noor Alam Khan (NA-3), Iftikhar Ahmad Jaghra (NA-4), however, the name of Iftikhar Ahmad Jaghra is not final and an alternative candidate Misbahuddine Masho Khail is also expected.
For provincial assembly seats, Akbar Khan Mohmand has been nominated for PK-1, Syed Zahir Ali Shah (PK-02), Iqbal Mohmand (PK-04), Kifayat Orakzi (PK-05), Dr Arbab Alamgir (PK-05), Ashfaq Khalil (PK 06), Kiramatullah Khan Chagharmatti (PK-07), Malik Tehmash Khan (PK-08), Iftikhar Ahmad Jhagra (PK-9), Ghazanfar Ali (PK-10) while Misbahuddine Masho Khail have been nominated for PK-11.
Tough contest is expected between the Awami National Party and JI as both parties are the arch-rival in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The Jamaat has also finalised seat adjustment with the Pakistan the Tehrik-e-Insaaf (PTI), which would provide further strength to the party to defeat PPP and ANP on several seats.
On the other hand, the leaders of ANP are expecting that people will not betray them and will once again vote them into power because they have executed several mega projects in Peshawar.
Similarly the position of PPP is not so strong except on NA-2 where Arbab Alamgir has last time elected as member of the National Assembly.
His wife Asima Alamgir also remained advisor to prime minister and provincial president of the PPP Woman Wing.
On this constituency, JI has fielded Dr Iqbal Khail as candidate for the NA-02 who also remained president of Alkhidmat Foundation.
From the same constituency, Arbab Najeebulla would contest elections on the ticket of ANP.
During 2002 general elections, late Rahmatullah Khalil has won the seat of NA-02 from the platform of MMA. This time JUI-F and JI would field separate candidates on each constituency.
JUI-F has so far not finalised their names and it is expected that they would nominate their candidates after meeting of the JUI central and provincial parliamentary board.