ISLAMABAD: After political heavyweights – former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and former PTI MNA Sadaqat Abbasi—decided to stay away from polls, the voters of NA-51 will have to seek out a ‘suitable’ candidate to represent them in the National Assembly and resolve their chronic issues.

NA-51 comprises Murree, Kotli Sattian, Kahuta and parts of Kallar Syedan and has 719,514 voters and two provincial assembly seats — PP-6 (Murree) and PP-7 (Kotli Sattian). The constituency is dominated by three major tribes — Abbasis of Murree; Sattis of Kotli Sattian, and Rajas of Kahuta. The Abbasi clan, however, is the major political player in this constituency.

After the death of his father Khaqan Abbasi who won from this constituency in 1985, former prime minister and PML-N leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi bagged this seat at least six times, before facing a defeat at the hands of PTI candidate Sadaqat Abbasi in 2018.

In 2002, PPP leader Ghulam Murtaza Satti from Kahuta defeated Shahid Khaqan Abbasi only because of a rift between the Abbasis of Murree over PML-N’s Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Sufyan Abbasi of the Muttahidda Majlis-i-Amal. This time, Mr Shahid is not contesting polls due to his differences with the PML-N leadership, whereas his successor Sadaqat Abbasi — following the May 9 violence and a brief enforced disappearance — parted ways with the PTI, leaving the field empty for others.

With elections just weeks away, the election campaign in the constituency has yet to pick steam, but Murree will likely witness momentum in the coming days. Even though, the votes of these people sort of helped former MNA Shahid Khaqan Abbasi bag the premiership in 2017 — after the ouster of Nawaz Sharif in the Panama Papers case — chronic issues, such as shortage of water, lack of gas supply, and a dearth of education and health facilities continue to persist.

PML-N faces rift over ticket for provincial assembly seat

Voters say this time they wanted to elect someone to parliament who would be able to resolve their basic issues. “In all previous elections, the candidates made promises to resolve our basic issues, but nothing happened. We don’t have potable water. We have to go to Rawalpindi and Islamabad for medical treatment. Seems like our votes go to waste,” said Adeel Hussain, a resident of Murree.

Issues faced by NA-51

There are tehsil headquarters hospitals in the constituency, but a shortage of medical staff, as well as equipment, forces the people to turn to Rawalpindi and Islamabad for healthcare. In addition to health, there is also the issue of water shortage. “We have three main demands: water, gas, and the healthcare system. In every election, the candidates made promises, only to forget them afterwards,” said Mohammad Waseem, a voter.

In 2006, Pakistan Muslim League-Q started a mega project — Neelum-Jhelum Bulk Water Supply — to cater to the needs of the Murree district, but the project worth Rs5 billion was stopped after the end of PML-Q government, allegedly due to political rifts.

A similar public welfare project to provide gas to the constituents was abandoned halfway. The PML-Q provided the utility to some union councils, but many others, including UC Dewal, Phagwari, Aliot, Rawat, Sehr Bagla, are still without gas.

On the other hand, many link roads in Kotli Sattian are in dilapidated condition while the shortage of water and health and education facilities are also lacking. Kahuta Press Club President Raja Imran Zamir said people were facing a shortage of water and basic health facilities. “We have a Tehsil Headquarters (THQ) Hospital, but it has been facing a shortage of doctors and machines,” he added.

Contenders for NA-51

For the NA seat, PML-N has fielded Usama Ashfaq Sarwar, son of late provincial minister Raja Ashfaq Sarwar, whereas the PTI has fielded Latasub Satti, who had contested the provincial assembly election in 2018.

For PP-6 and PP-7, PML-N has nominated ‘outsider’ Bilal Yamin — a move criticised by many because Mr Yamin belongs to PP-7 — and Raja Sagheer, respectively. Mr Sagheer was granted the party ticket after the party decided to ignore Raja Mohammad Ali, son of PML-N stalwart Raja Zafarul Haq. Atiq Sarwar, who is the uncle of Usama Sarwar, stepped down from the position of PML-N Punjab vice president after his disagreement with the party leadership over the award of the PP-6 ticket to Bilal Yamin.

The PTI, on the other hand, fielded Muhammad Shabbir Awan in PP-7 whereas for PP-6, a newcomer Zain Zia Abbasi, former president of the PTI youth wing, got the ticket. Ex-MNA Murtaza Satti, who was awarded a PP-7 ticket by PTI in 2018 elections, is contesting elections for the NA seat as an independent candidate.

The PPP awarded the NA ticket to former lawmaker Mehreen Anwar Raja and for PP-6 the party allotted the ticket to Nazeer Abbasi Advocate. For PP-7, it picked Zaheer Mahmood.

Jamaat-i-Islami candidate Sufyan Abbasi (PP-6); Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan candidates Javed Akhtar Abbasi (NA-51), who bagged 27,000 in 2018 polls, Imtiaz Satti (PP-6), and Wasim Janjua (PP-7) are also aspiring for parliament.

In 2018, PTI’s Sadaqat Abbasi defeated Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and PTI’s Mohammad Latasub Satti bagged PP-6. In PP-7, an independent candidate Raja Sagheer won the election.

In 2008 and 2013, PML-N leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi won NA-51 seat. PML-N candidate Fayyaz Sarwar bagged the PP-6 seat whereas PPP leader Mohammad Shabbir Awan won the PP-7 seat in 2008. In the 2013 elections, Raja Ashfaq Sarwar clinched PP-6 and Raja Mohammad Ali won the PP-7 seat.

Published in Dawn, January 20th, 2024