DERA GHAZI KHAN-As a tough contest is likely among the mainstream parties, the election fever is getting severer in NA-191 which is comprised of Municipal Corporation DG Khan and tribal areas.
A nip and tuck contest is expected among three contestants, Zartaj Gull of PTI, former chief minister Sardar Dost Muhammad Khosa, who is contesting election as independent candidate on the symbol of Jeep, and Sardar Awais Leghari. Former federal minister Sardar Awais Ahmed Leghari is again dreaming of winning the seat like by-election of March 2011. But now it will not be easy for him.
Awais is the youngest son of ex-president of Pakistan Sardar Farooq Ahmed Khan Leghari (late). He was born on August 1, 1971. He graduated from University of Rochester in New York. He began his political career in 1997 when he won a PP-204-Rajanpur seat as an independent candidate. He joined the Millat Party in 1998 and was elected as MNA from NA-173 (2002 to 2007) and served as minister for information technology and telecommunications.
He lost election from NA-173 in 2008 on a ticket of Pakistan Muslim League (Q). He left PML-Q in 2010 and joined PTI. He was elected again as MNA from NA-172 in by-election held in March 2011 when the seat became vacant after his father's death who won the seat in 2008 elections. Last time, he was elected as MNA in 2013 from NA-173 but after leaving PTI, he joined PML-N.
Dost Khosa is the youngest son of Sardar Zulfiqar Ali Khan Khosa. He was born on 22nd of October 1973. He did his FSc. from Aitchison College, Lahore and graduated from University of the Punjab.
He was elected as an MPA in 1999 after his father vacated the seat on becoming Punjab governor. He was elected unopposed as Naib district nazim of DG Khan in 2006 and resigned in 2008 to contest general elections 2008. Having been elected as MPA, he got elected as the youngest chief minister of the Punjab (April 2008 - June 2008) and relinquished the charge for Mian Shehbaz Sharif. Later, he served as provincial minister up to 5th of April 2012.
Mrs Zartaj Gull Akhwand graduated in Textile Designing from National College of Arts (NCA), Lahore. She is member of core committee of PTI. She contested last general election 2013 from NA-172 and bagged 38643 votes, and was defeated by Hafiz Abdul Kareem of PML-N, who secured 49230 votes.
The constituency has 380414 registered votes, including 168137 females while 261 polling stations and 789 polling booths have been established in the constituency. A total of 13 candidates are in the NA-191 race as per Form-33 of Election Commission of Pakistan. NA-190 is mostly comprised of old NA-172 areas. The troika is making high claims to win the 25 July, 2018 general elections with a great margin of votes. However, Zartaj Gull has benefit of PTI's rising popularity.
On the other side, a tough competition is expected among three major contestants of PP-289 which is comprised of urban voters. They are Sardar Dost Muhammad Khan Khosa (independent), former MPA Syed Abdul Aleem Shah (PML-N) and Hanif Khan Pitafi (independent) who parted ways with the PTI after failure in getting the ticket. Dr Shaheena Najeeb Khosa was awarded the PTI ticket that led to a rift between PTI's voters and supporters in the constituency.
On first June 2018 when Sardar Zulfiqar Ali Khosa, former Punjab governor and disgruntled leader of the PML-N joined PTI, Dost Khosa was dropped by the PTI at that time due to some unknown reasons. Now Dost Khosa has become a nuisance for the PTI candidate.
Dr Shaheena Khosa is gynaecologist by profession and runs a private hospital but for the last couple of years, she has dedicated her time and money for the PTI.
M Hanif Khan Pitafi is one of the owners of famous Sun crop Pesticides Group. First he joined PML-N, then PTI and now is independent contestant.
Syed Abdul Aleem Shah is an agriculturist and graduated in 1994 from University of the Punjab, Lahore. He served as Nazim during 2001-02 and as MPA during 2002-07 and 2013-18 from constituency PP-244 now PP-289.
The constituency has 199812 registered voters, including 90312 female voters. About 136 polling stations and 434 polling booths have been established in the constituency. A total 21 candidates are in the race.