ATTCOK: The ruling Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) still holds sway over politics in the district of Attock where it won a majority of national and provincial assembly seats in the 2013 elections.

There were three National Assembly (NA) and five provincial assembly seats but after the delimitation the number of the NA seats has reduced to two whereas the five provincial assembly seats remained unchanged.

The new numbers of the two NA constituencies are NA-55 and NA-56.

Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Mariyam Nawaz will address a public gathering in Attock on May 23.

Ruling party won two of three NA and four of the five PA seats in 2013 elections

For decades, the district has remained a stronghold of the PML-N. Out of the three NA seats, the PML-N grabbed two in the 2013 elections. Similarly, the ruling party won four out of the five provincial assembly seats.

Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Sheikh Aftab Ahmed secured his seat from NA-57 (Attock) while Malik Aitbar from NA-58. Both are considered loyalists of the PML-N. The NA-59 seat was won by Zain Elahi who contested as an independent candidate.

The provincial seats of PP-16 (Hazro), PP-17 (Hassanabdal), PP-18 (Jand) and PP-19 (Pindigheb) were bagged by the PML-N while PP-15 (Attock city) was won by PTI’s Ejaz Bukhari.

The PML-N leadership looks clear in awarding tickets for the upcoming elections while its archrival PTI is still uncertain about its candidates because of internal grouping.

On NA-55, Sheikh Aftab Ahmed is likely to get the ticket from the PML- N and from NA-56 the ruling party will reconsider Malik Aitbar.

Malik Asif, a possible PML-N candidate from NA-56, is backed by Chaudhry Nisar group.

From the PTI side, Tahir Sadiq or his son Zain Elahi or Malik Amin Aslam will be considered for the ticket while Malik Sohail Kambrail has left the PTI.

On the PP seats of Hazro and Jand, Jehangir Khanzada, son of slain Col Shuja Khanzada, and Chaudhry Sher Ali are being reconsidered by the PML-N.

However, MPA Zafar Iqbal from PP-19 is facing some hassle from inside the party. MPA Shahvez Khan from PP-17 is considered to be the oldest and loyal worker of the PML-N. Sources said Shahvez Khan will again get the party ticket from his constituency.

PTI leader Malik Amin Aslam told Dawn that Nawaz Sharif was coming to Attock but the local people would not support him.

“I and Major Tahir Sadiq and others are united under the banner of PTI. Our leader Imran Khan is struggling for democracy and in the party his decisions are democratic. We will stand against corruption and corrupted leaders.”

PPP and independent candidates have a thin presence in the district. Sardar Saleem Haider of the PPP won NA-59 in 2008 but lost the seat to Zain Elahi in the 2013 elections.

Published in Dawn, May 22nd, 2018