DERA GHAZI KHAN-The total number of registered votes has increased from 1,052,529 to 1,329,079 for the upcoming general elections-2018 to be held on 25th while one National Assembly and Punjab Assembly seats have been increased in the district.
The polling stations of the district have been divided into four categories highly sensitive, A, B and C categories. Out of total 1024 polling stations, 25 have been marked highly sensitive, 220 have been marked A (Sensitive) category, 500 have been marked B (deemed sensitive) category and 304 have been marked C (normal) category.
The figures obtained from the Election Commission of Pakistan revealed that the number of registered votes is 1,329,079 with an increase of 276,550 votes including 573,997 female for 8 provincial assembly seats PP-285 to PP-292 and 4 National Assembly seats NA-189 to NA-192.
A total of 138 candidates of 15 political parties and one political alliance Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) are contesting in the 12 constituencies across the district.
The name of 15 political parties are Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Pakistan Muslim League N (PML-N), Pakistan People's Party Parliamentarians (PPPP), Pakistan Awami Raj, Pakistan Sunni Tehreek, All Pakistan Muslim League, All Pakistan Muslim League (Jinnah), Aam Admi Tehreek Pakistan, Allah-o-Akbar Tehreek, Amun Taraqqi Party, National Party, Tehreek Labbaik Pakistan, Pakistan Justice & Democratic Party, Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan and Pak Sarzameen Party.
The district administration has planned 1,024 polling stations including 101 male, 98 female and 825 combined besides 2,966 polling booths including 1345 for female.
A total of 10946 officials including 1024 presiding officers (PO), 5932 assistant presiding officers (APO), 2966 polling officers and 1024 Naib qasid will perform election duty.
In NA-190 which is comprises of rural and tribal area voters, a nip and tuck contest is expected between two cousins - former Punjab governor Sardar Zulfiqar Ali Khan Khosa and ex-MNA of PML-N Sardar Amjad Farooq Khan Khosa, who left the PML-N on June 30, 2018 that day was last day of submission of party ticket, apparently without any solid reason. Zulfiqar Khosa is disgruntled leader of the PML-N and last month he joined PTI. He got education from Queen's Marry College, Lahore (1941-46), and from Aitchison College, Lahore (1946-54).
He was first elected as the member of West Pakistan Assembly in 1962 at the age of 26 years, being the youngest member in the House. He also remained MPA for nine consecutive times, which is a record in itself. He has served the province as minister holding the portfolios of Education, Irrigation & Power, C&W, Finance, P&D, Local Government & Rural Development, and Senior Minister/Senior Advisor.
He has also served as Punjab governor from August 12, 1999 to till the imposition of Martial Law on 12th of October 1999. Last time, he was senator of PML-N from March 2012 to March 2018. He has three sons and his youngest son, Dost Muhammad Khan Khosa has served as the chief minister of Punjab.
Sardar Amjad Farooq was born on September 4, 1950. After graduation from Government College, Lahore, he obtained the degree of LLB in 1971 from Punjab University Law College. He served as vice chairman of District Council during 1982-85 and 1988-90. He served as MPA during 1985-88 and 1988-90; and returned to the Punjab Assembly for the third term in general elections 2008 as an independent candidate. He also remained MNA during 1990-93 and 1997-99. Last time he was MNA of PML-N (2013-18).
The constituency has 315269 registered voters, including 131827 female voters. 253 polling stations and 696 polling booths have been established in the constituency. A total of five candidates are in race of NA-190 as per Form-33 of Election Commission of Pakistan.
Although Sardar Irfan Ullah Khosa, who is also relative of both Zulfiqar Khosa and Amjad Khosa, is contesting on symbol of Arrow of PPPP, but currently all 10 contesting candidates of Pakistan People's Party Parliamentarians are too weak to win the seat.
The NA-190 is newly created seat of National Assembly in district DG Khan after delimitation of 2018. Both the influential Sardar are making high claims to win the 25 July general elections with a great margin of votes. However Zulfiqar Khosa has gained edge over PTI candidate.