HARIPUR: The by-election for NA-19, Haripur, appears to be a matter of (political) life and death for the arch rivals — PML-N and PTI — as both are trying to win the seat at all costs.

This costly exercise has blurred the line between foes and friends. Those, who were against each other in the past, are now sitting on one platform to bar the entry of any new intruder into their ruling club. They have ganged up against a political novice, trying to snatch a place in the power corridor.

The changing role of various bradries (ethnic groups), religious factions and turncoats have changed the meaning and spirit of the psephology. For voters, who are ditched every time, democracy has become an illusion.

The electioneering has proved one thing that hypocrisy is the hallmark of the day. Lying has become a business. Everybody, voters with the candidates and contenders with the voters, is lying with one another.

Bitter foes of the past now sitting on one platform

The political organisations, engaged in meaningless diatribes, are not speaking about their respective manifestoes. They are involved in blame games.

Last week, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif summoned his party office-bearers to Islamabad and urged them to run the electioneering effectively. The political observers say that all the mavericks present at the meeting are the real gravediggers of his party.

PTI nominee Raja Aamir Zaman has the support of many influential people, who belong to PML-N. The PML-N has always won from villages. It has strongholds in the rural belt of the district. Raja Aamir’s family has a sufficient support in rural areas. He will certainly fetch maximum votes from PML-N vote bank.

Baber Nawaz, the nominee of PML-N, is a new entry against the old ruling families. Some of the prominent figures, who are seen at Babar Nawaz’s election meetings, will get their vote cast in favour of Raja Aamir. They have their own constraints.

At present, former MNA Omar Ayub Khan, PML-N provincial chief Pir Sabir Shah, former provincial minister Qazi Mohammad Asad and Raja Faisal Zaman (real younger brother of Raja Aamir) are apparently siding with Baber nawaz. They are considered his supporters. But, general people tell another story. 

The local alignments and groupings are above the party politics. Here the political parties not, but political gangs (entrenched in different political parties) matter.

Why Raja Faisal Zaman should vote against his brother Raja Aamir? Why Omar Ayub Khan, whose cousin Akbar Ayub had defeated Baber Nawaz in the provincial by-election, should extend support to Baber Nawaz? Why Qazi Mohammad Asad, who lost election because of Baber Nawaz, should side with Baber Nawaz?

These are questions which do not need any answers and a detailed explanation. It is a ruthless game of self-interests. Activists of PML-N, siding with Raja Aamir Zaman say that “political power does not know fidelity in polarised and depoliticised society”.

Omar Ayub Khan, who has won this seat some months back from Raja Aamir through a court battle, is siding with the PML-N candidate, but local political observers say that he might be PTI’s candidate from this constituency in the next general elections.

Many people are with Raja Aamir because he is a docile person. His removal is easy from the throne. It will be difficult to remove Baber Nawaz, if he wins. That is why all the old guards are united against him (Baber Nawaz). These are drawing-rooms and restaurants gossips, but it holds some truth.

The villages along Khanpur-Taxila Road, which had been stronghold of Gohar Ayub Khan and late Raja Sikandar Zaman, have put their weight behind Raja Aamir, because Omar Ayub Khan is out from the race. Despite his being a lone crusader, Baber Nawaz will fetch anti-feudal and pro-change votes across the district.

This time JUI-F has not nominated Pir Alamzeb Shah. He being an independent contender is in the field. He is using the platform of Khudaam Ahl-i-Bait, a new sectarian outfit. Thahir Qureshi of PPP is as usual in the field. His presence shows that PPP is still alive.'

Published in Dawn, August 11th, 2015

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