HARIPUR: Former prime minister and PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif is scheduled to formally launch his party’s campaign for the upcoming general elections by addressing a public meeting in Abbottabad on Sunday (Nov 19).

The PML-N MNAs, MPAs, leaders and activists across Hazara division are persuading their voters, sympathisers and other people to attend the public meeting in large numbers as observers believe irrespective of the dynamics of the new political order that is clearly advocating little future role for the PML-N in the national politics, Nawaz Sharif will use his political clout for winning the sympathies of the people of Hazara at least for getting a piece of pie in the future government in the province.

Currently, the PML-N has five MNAs and seven MPAs and a woman on reserved seat from entire Hazara division but one of the MPAs from PK-56, Mansehra, Wajeehuzzaman Khan parted ways with it to join the PTI after the cancelation of party membership and filing of disqualification reference on the charge of misconduct in the last Senate elections.

The PML-N MPAs face the scathing criticism from their voters for not bringing development funds to the division though the party is in power at the federal level.

PML-N troubled by infighting, leaders’ poor performance in Hazara division

MNA from NA-20, Mansehra, and federal minister Sardar Mohammad Yousuf, former PM Nawaz Sharif’s son-in-law and NA-21 Mansehra MNA retired captain Mohammad Safdar and National Assembly deputy speaker Murtaza Javed Abbasi have, despite differences within the party, succeeded in attracting the limelight through gas, road and power projects in their respective constituencies.

However, the overall performance of PML-N MNA Babar Nawaz Khan from Haripur, Senator and minister Salahuddin Tirmizi of Mansehra, former governor and sitting adviser to PM on civil aviation Sardar Mahtab Ahmad Khan from Abbottabad and Sarzamin Khan from Kohistan regarding the region’s development is unimpressive.

The ongoing war of words between the current, former and future election candidates of the PML-N from across Hazara clearly indicate that the PML-N’s house is not in order.

On the other hand, Nawaz Sharif’s unfulfilled promises of 500-bedded hospital, reconstruction of 1000 schools in the earthquake hit areas of Hazara, Women University, Medical University, Mansehra Airport, revival of sick industrial unit of Telephone Industries of Pakistan (TIP), road projects including Galiyat, Kaghan area, have considerably distanced its voters from the party.

The poor homework by the PML-N provincial and central leadership and elected MNAs and MPAs has given a freehand to PTI lawmakers to make a dent in Hazara, once the stronghold of PML-N.

The creation of two new districts and five tehsils, reforms in health, education and governance has facilitated Imran’s party to strengthen its grip on the politics, forcing PML-N’s voters to have second thought about electing their future representatives.

Several of former and sitting PML-N MNAs and MPAs may join the PTI or JUI-F eying the next government.

The Supreme Court’s decision in Panama leaks case has lowered the chances of PML-N forming the next government in the province.

The PTI leadership while feeling the pulse of Hazarawals successfully threw the ball in the court of the PML-N by adopting Hazara province’s resolution last year although its constitutional status is still questionable.

The PML-N is left with two solutions for its political survival in Hazara. One is to go for some tactical moves as damage control that Panamagate case has caused to it worldwide and second is to win the hearts of people of Hazara by adopting Hazara province’s resolution before the dissolution of assemblies for next election otherwise the PTI, which is still in the driving seat in KP, could reap the benefit of the weak wicket the PML-N is right now standing on and go for dividing Hazara division into two administrative divisions which was factually the brainchild of ANP, a political party that was opposed to creation of Hazara province.

MASHAL CASE: The anti-terrorism court, Hazara division, recorded the statement of police investigation officer Faazil Khan for the third consecutive hearing into the Mashal Khan lynching case on Thursday.

The hearing was held at the Haripur Central Jail here amid tight security inside and around the jail.

Published in Dawn, November 17th, 2017