LAKKI MARWAT: A tough contest is expected between the aspirants of Mutahidda Majlis-i-Amal and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf for one seat of National Assembly and three seats of provincial assembly in the district.

PTI’s Ishfaq Ahmad Khan Meenakhel and Maulana Mohammad Anwar of MMA are strong contenders for the National Assembly seat in the district. Inamullah Inqilabi of PPP, Imranullah of PML-N, Mohammad Ali of Tehrik Labaik Pakistan and Abdullah of Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party are also in the run for NA-36.

Relying on the large vote bank of urban locality, PTI candidate Mr Ishfaq is expected to muster voters’ support from major towns of the district including Naurang, Ghaznikhel, Darra Pezu, Tajori and Serai Gambila. He held successful election rallies across the district.

MMA candidate Maulana Mohammad Anwar is a prominent religious scholar and teaches at a seminary in Darra Pezu town. His party, JUI-F, had swept the 2013 general elections in the district.

Presence of JUI-F dissident in electoral race can’t be ignored

Besides activists of JUI-F and other component parties of religious alliance, thousands of students graduated from the seminary are considered staunch supporters of Maulana Anwar. The rural localities have a large religious vote bank that can play vital role in the elections.

For PK-91, MMA aspirant Munawar Khan will face strong candidates including Johar Mohammad of PTI and independent candidates Akhtar Munir Khan and Malik Najibullah Khan.

Munawar Khan had won provincial assembly seat from the same constituency in 2008 and 2013 general elections. Malik Najib is popular in Kurrum Par area.

He also ran successful campaign in other localities of the constituency. He is a dissident of JUI-F and is bent upon to win elections by defeating the MMA candidate at all costs.

Former federal secretary Akhtar Munir is the brother of former provincial minister late Anwar Kamal Khan Marwat.

He is also running for the provincial assembly seat. In 2013, he had lost elections to Munawar Khan.

His family has large vote bank in Lakki city and rural areas of PK-91 and PK-92.

Waheed Aslam Khan of Tehreek-i-Labaik and Farzana Sherin of PPP are also in the run for PK-91.

Hisham Inamullah Khan of PTI and Noor Salim Malik of MMA are among the strong contenders for PK-92. Apart from them, Haji Sakhi Marjan of PPP, Mohammad Ayub of ANP, Fahimullah of Tehreek-i-Labaik and Zafranullah of Aman Tarrqi Party are also contenders for the seat.

The actual contest will, however, take place between Hisham Inamullah and Noor Salim Malik. Mr Hisham is a close relative of Saifullah brothers and they are making all out efforts to muster people’s support for him. The spiritual leaders of Taunsa Sharif and Ghari Sharif have also announced to support the PTI aspirant.

On the other hand, Noor Salim Malik had won the 2013 general elections by defeating former federal minister Anwar Saifullah Khan. He claims to have sought the support of spiritual dynasty of Zakori Sharif.

The followers of Zakori Sharif have the capability to influence election results. Along with support of JUI-F and other religious parties, the former lawmaker is also cashing the credit of uplift works he carried out during his previous tenure.

Several influential and strong candidates are flexing their muscles to win the provincial assembly seat PK-93.

They include MMA candidate Haji Anwar Hayat Khan, Tariq Saeed of PTI, Advocate Sadruddin of ANP, Ameerzada Khattak of Qaumi Watan Party, Qareebullah of PML-N, Mashal Khan of PPP, Noor Ali Khan of Tehreek-i-Labaik Pakistan, Fahimullah of Aman Tarrqi Party and independent candidates Zafrullah Khan and Riazullah Khan.

Analysts say that tough contest will take place in PK-93 as the presence of former MPA Zafrullah Khan in election race cannot be ignored. They say that the presence of JUI-F dissidents including Zafrullah and Riazullah has increased troubles for MMA aspirant Anwar Hayat Khan.

Published in Dawn, July 24th, 2018