GUJRANWALA-Election campaign has entered the final round with 85 candidates contesting for six NA seats in the Gujranwala district while the tough competition is likely between PML-N and PTI.
Both the parties have launched election campaign with renewed promises of steering the country out of crises if voted into power. In addition to the main contesting parties, there are PPP, MMA and Tehrik-e-Labbaik, a new religious-political party and new entrant in electoral politics, and a number of independent candidates, who according to local political observers, are mostly spoiler and may add spice in the dish through their performance.
They also think that the participation of Tehrik-i-Labbaik in the elections may adversely affect the prospects of PML-N candidates. Gujranwala district was earlier comprised of 7 national and 14 provincial assembly seats but after the recent census one national assembly seat was subtracted from the district.
In NA-79, PML-N awarded ticket to Dr Nisar Cheema, brother of former MNA Justice (R) Iftikhar Cheema, while PTI has fielded Muhammad Ahmad Chatha, son of Hamid Nasir Chatha who is a well-known politician and former speaker of National Assembly. Dr. Nisar Cheema is a retired government officer, he has served in Gujranwala as director health services and has a vast relationship in the constituency.
On the other hand, his rival Ahmad Chatha has also a big vote bank as his father Hamid Nasir Chatha has been elected in this constituency for many times in past. In NA-80, PML-N fielded his former law minister Mehmood Bashir Virk while former MNA Mian Tariq will now contest on PTI ticket in this constituency. Mian Tariq has been elected as MNA in 2013 general elections on PML-N platform and recently he has joined the PTI.
According to the political observers, Mian Tariq has a strong position in the constituency and Mehmood Bashir Virk will have to work hard to defeat his rival.
At NA-81, PTI has awarded the ticket to Chaudhry Siddique who will face a well-known politician former PML-N defence minister Khurram Dastgir Khan. The citizens of Gujranwala have specially focused this constituency as they are expecting an interesting competition between the both the candidates.
Khurram Dastgir Khan belongs to a political and influential family, his father Khan Ghulam Dastgir Khan had been serving as federal minister in the past. Khuram Dastgir is an experienced politician and has a good vote bank, he also worked hard in the last five years and launched many developments projects in the city including Aziz Cross flyover and city flyover. On the other hand, PTI candidate Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar has also launched a successful campaign. Thus a neck and neck competition is expected in this constituency.
In NA-82, PML-N's Barrister Usman Ibrahim and PTI's Barrister Ali Ashraf Mughal, a famous industrialist are the main contestants. PML-N is facing troubles in the constituency as party workers have been divided into two groups on ticket issue. Haji Younas Ansari, brother of PML-N, former MPA Ashraf Ali Ansari, is also contesting in this constituency as an independent candidate. Haji Younas Ansari is running his election campaign along with his brother Ashraf Ali Ansari who is contesting as MPA on PML-N ticket. These differences will surely benefit the PTI candidates.
In NA-83, Chaudhry Zulifqar Bhinder is contesting on PML-N ticket while PTI has awarded ticket to Rana Nazir Ahmed Khan. Both the candidates have been elected as parliamentarians in the past. Rana Nazir was elected MNA on PML-N platform but recently he has joined the PTI while Zulifqar Bhinder was elected as MPA on PPP ticket and he recently has joined the PML-N. A tough competition is also expected in this constituency as both the candidates have deep relations with the personalities of the area.
In NA-84, Chaudhry Azhar Qayyum Nahra of PML-N will contest against Chaudhry Billal Ejaz who has been awarded ticket by the PTI. Both the candidates have remarkable political history and are well experienced.
In 2013 general elections, PML-N won all the national and provincial seats in the Gujranwala district but situation has now been changed for PML-N due to its central leadership's legal cases and joining of the PTI by various PML-N chairmen of union councils in the recent days.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf [PTI] has put its all out efforts into election campaign to defeat the rivals so the PML-N candidates need to make extraordinary efforts to win the electoral race on July 25.