PESHAWAR - More than a dozen heavyweights of different political parties will try their luck on two-to-four national and provincial constituencies in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the coming general elections.
Three former chief ministers of KPK – Sardar Mehtab Ahmad Khan of PML-N, Akram Khan Durrani of JUI-F and Ameer Haider Khan Hoti of ANP would also run for more than one constituency as all the three will contest on NA and PA seats.
Prominent among them are JUI-F Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, his brother Lutfur Rehman, Akram Khan Durrani, PML-N’s Central Senior Vice President Ameer Muqam, the party’s central general secretary, Zafar Iqbal Jaghra, Sardar Mehtab, Anwar Saifullah, Ameer Haider Khan Hoti, Aftab Sherpao’s elder son, Sikandar Sherpao, PPP ex-federal minister Arbab Alamgir Khan and PTI Central General Secretary Pervez Khattak.
Among these aspirants, Ameer Muqam is leading as he has filed his papers from three NA and two PA seats. Maulana Fazlur Rehman will try his luck in three National Assembly constituencies in the upcoming elections, which include NA-24-Dera Ismail Khan, NA-25, Dera Ismail Khan-cum-Tank, and NA-27, Lakki Marwat.
In the 2008 elections, the JUI-F chief also contested polls on two NA seats, NA-24, Dera Ismail Khan, his home constituency, and NA-26, Bannu, however, he lost from the former and won from the latter.
Interestingly, Fazl’s younger brother, Maulana Lutfur Rehman, has also been fielded to contest elections on two provincial assembly seats, PK-64, Dera Ismail Khan-1, and PK-66, Dera Ismail Khan-III. Moreover, it has also been learnt that Lutftur Rehman is also being considered as JUI-F’s potential pick for the provincial chief minister’s slot in case the party wins majority seats.
Apart from it, KPK former chief minister Akram Khan Durrani of JUI-F has also been awarded tickets for NA-26-Bannu and PK-70 Bannu.
PML-N Senior Vice President Ameer Muqam will try his luck in five constituencies – NA-4, Peshawar, NA-30-Swat-I, NA-31, Shangla, PK-80, Swat, and PK-82, Swat. His younger brother, Dr Ibad, has also submitted his papers from NA-31-Shangla.
Likewise, PML-N General Secretary Zafar Iqbal Jaghra will fight from NA-3 and PK-1, Peshawar, and PML-N’s former KPK chief minister, Sardar Mehtab, will compete from two constituencies – NA-17 and PK-45.
ANP has nominated former KPK chief minister Ameer Haider Hoti to contest from NA-9, Mardan, and PK-23, Mardan, in the coming elections. Similarly, PPP KPK President Anwar Saifullah Khan has filed papers from NA-26, Bannu and PK-74, Lakki Marwat.
Former federal minister Arbab Alamgir would challenge his rival candidates on two seats, NA 2, Peshawar, and PK-5, Peshawar, while PPP’s Misbahidin would contest from NA-4, Peshawar, and PK-11, Peshawar.
Sikandar Sherpao, the eldest son of former interior minister Aftab Sherpao, would also fight from two constituencies, NA-7, Charsadda, and PK-21, Charsadda. On NA-7, he will face ANP President Asfandyar Wali Khan. PTI Central General Secretary Pervez Khattak will try his luck in NA-5, Nowshera, and PK-13, Nowshera.
Former JI ameer, late Qazi Hussian Ahmad’s elder son, Asif Luqman Qazi, has been fielded on two seats, NA-4 and PK-14, Nowshera.
Moreover, PTI Chairman Imran Khan and former president general (r) Pervez Musharraf are also contesting from KPK. Musharraf has filed his nomination papers from NA-32, Chitral, while Imran Khan will try his luck from NA-1, Peshawar. He is also contesting from Lahore, Rawalpindi and Mianwali, his hometown.
Political observers say that, obviously, for fear of defeat, well-off contenders file papers from several constituencies to get berth in the parliament at all costs. In addition, voters don’t attach too much importance to a candidate who is not from his native constituency for the reason that in case of his election, he will not retain that seat.
They suggest that next time it will be better if the Election Commission of Pakistan bans contesting elections from more than one constituency. As compared to previous elections, this time there is no much time for running election campaign. So it will be hard enough for those who are contesting from more than one constituency. Besides, almost all political and religious parties will have to think twice before arranging a public gathering as there is a possibility of any mishap during the election drive.