LAHORE - A close contest awaits NA-126 where old rivals - Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz)’s Mehar Ishtiaq Ahmed and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s Barrister Hamad Azhar - have locked horns for winning July 25 battle.
Unlike last outing, it will not be smooth sailing for Mehar Ishtiaq who remained MPA twice from 2002-07 and from 2008-13 and was again elected as MPA and MNA in 2013.
He retained MNA seat and vacated the provincial constituency from where PML-N’s Mian Marghoob was elected in by-elections.
Since 1988, PML-N had never lost elections from this constituency.
From this constituency, father of socialism Sheikh Rasheed contested and won 1977 elections on Pakistan Peoples’ Party ticket.
Mian Muhammad Asif represented the constituency from 1985-88, Islami Jamhoori Ittehad’s Mian Muhammad Usman from 1988-90 and 1990-1993.
On IJI ticket Mian Muhammad Munir returned to the parliament from 1993-97 and later from 1997-2002 on PML-N ticket. Farid Ahmed Piracha, joint candidate of Mutahida Majlis-e-Amal and PML-N, won 2002 elections.
Mehar Ishtiaq was amongst few politicians from Lahore who managed to reach the assembly even during Musharraf regime after exile of Sharifs.
In the last general elections, Mehar Ishtiaq bagged 114,474 votes from NA-121. After delimitation, the constituency was renamed as NA-126 that comprises Sabzazaar, Gulshan-e-Ravi, Nawankot, Nonarian, Samanabad, Sodiwal, Sherakot, Babu Sabu, Yateem Khana, Chuburji Park, Islami Park, New Mozang, GOR-II, Bahawalpur Road, Rustam Park and Mohajarabad.
Conviction of Sharif family in Panama case, alleged corruption in mega projects and public sector companies, lackluster electioneering of PML-N and growing popularity of Imran Khan has given a new lease of life to Hamad Azhar who is also enjoying luxury of strong PTI candidates in both the provincial constituencies.
NA-126 is the only constituency in Lahore from where both the leading parties have fielded candidates from Arain Biradri. This is justified as Arain is the biggest biradri in the constituency followed by Rajput, Pathan, Jat, Dogar, Gujjar and Kashmiris.
Although PPP’s Aurangzeb Shafi Barki and Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan’s Waqas Ahmed are also in the run but they are unlikely to make any impact. Despite emerging new factors, Mehar Ishtiaq is hopeful of winning the race again this time around on the basis of record development including mega project of Lahore Orange Line Metro Train.
He is a resident of the constituency having support of Arain Biradri. His supporters believe that the PML-N has staged a strong comeback after return of Nawaz Sharif and his daughter.
Their arrest and illness of Kalsoom Nawaz will cause candidates to get more sympathy votes across the country in general and in Lahore in particular.
Hamad Azhar, son of former Punjab governor, elder of Arain Biradri and veteran politician Mian Azhar, is carrying out an aggressive campaign. Coming of disgruntled PML-N leaders Shoaib Niazi and Bijash Niazi in the PTI fold has given a boost to election campaign of Hamad Azhar.
He is hopeful of ending up on the winning side this time due to strong connections of Mian Azhar, door-to-door election campaign of candidates in both the provincial constituencies, tarnished image of Sharifs and rising graph of popularity of Imran Khan and his party. For him the real challenge is convincing people to exercise their right to vote.
Provincial constituencies, PP-151 and PP-152, fall under NA-126. In PP-151, real contest is between PML-N’s Chaudhry Baqar Hussain and PTI’s Mian Aslam Iqbal where the later has clear edge on his rival candidate.
From PP-152, former provincial minister Rana Mashood Ahmed Khan is contesting against PTI’s Irshad Dogar. A close contest is expected in this provincial constituency clearly dominated by PML-N for decades.
Change in boundaries of the constituency in fresh delimitation and alleged corruption has put Rana Mashood Ahmed Khan in troubled water.
People also complained about Rana Mashood not giving due time to the constituency after winning 2013 elections.
