SWABI: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf and Awami National Party candidates are emerging as frontrunners in the race for the Swabi tehsil chairman slot in the local government elections though all the contestants have been making efforts to win voters’ support for the Dec 19 poll.

The candidates include Attaullah Khan of PTI, Mohammed Akmal Khan of ANP, Rab Nawaz of PML-N, Imtiaz Zeb of Qaumi Watan Party, Malik Amanullah Khan of Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians and Noor Islam of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl besides independent candidates Asif Iqbal and Hassan Khan.

Local political analysts say that PTI candidate Attaullah is a close relative of National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser. They said that now the speaker’s integrity was at stake because he had allegedly claimed that record development projects were initiated in the district and ‘he would give a special package for every union council in case the ruling party wins the elections’.

They also referred to the people’s reservations, recalling that PTI ticket for National Assembly was twice awarded to Mr Qaiser and one each NA and KP Assembly ticket to his brother Aqibullah Khan. They said that now award of party ticket for Swabi tehsil chairman’s slot to his close relative was being questioned by the leaders and workers.

The political analysts said that the activists who had offered sacrifices for the party felt dejected over the fact that all PTI candidates would belong to only one family.

ANP candidate Akmal Khan hopes to regain the party’s past glory in the district. The area from which he is contesting election was the stronghold of his party till 2013 general elections. Political pundits said if the ANP candidates contesting election for general council campaigned well for Akmal Khan he had the bright chances to win.

Also, the support of former Saleem Khan union council nazim Muqarrab Khan and withdrawal of Ayaz Khan of Pakistan Aman Partyin his favour has boosted his position.

PML-N’s Rab Nawaz is young candidate actively running his campaign, reaching out to the voters. He said that his big advantage was that he belonged to proper Swabi and had the support of former MPA Babar Saleem from Maneri region.

Published in Dawn, December 13th, 2021