THE PML-N seems to have shot itself in the foot in Multan by going for a seat adjustment with the Istehkam-i-Pakistan Party (IPP) and accommodating PTI turncoats. These decisions have cost it the support of local loyalists and supporters, who are disillusioned with the party’s leadership and have started supporting its rivals.

Multan

The PML-N is contesting five National Assembly seats in Multan and supporting IPP patron-in-chief Jahangir Khan Tareen on the sixth. It awarded tickets in three of those constituencies, NA-148, NA-150 and NA-153, to PTI turncoats.

In NA-148, it gave its ticket to former PTI MNA Ahmad Hassan Dehar and sidelined Malik Sikandar Bosan, whose brother was given a ticket for PP-213 instead. PPP former prime minister Yusuf Raza Gillani and the PTI’s Barrister Taimur Malik are the other strong candidates from this constituency.

The decision to support Mr Tareen in NA-149, instead of giving a ticket to either Makhdoom Javed Hashmi or former MNA Sheikh Tariq Rasheed did not go down well with supporters, who outright refused to run a campaign for Babar Shah in PP-216, as he was reportedly awarded a ticket on Mr Tareen’s recommendation.

The divisions benefitted the PTI’s candidate in the constituency, Malik Amir Dogar, and improved his panel’s prospects of winning from NA-149 as well as its provincial constituencies.

Similarly, the ticket given to former PTI MPA Javed Ansari in NA-150 caused a dent in the PML-N’s support in the constituency, prompting its long-time supporters, Senator Rana Mehmoodul Hassan and his clan, to leave the party. They joined the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and are contesting against the PML-N from the same constituency. Meanwhile, the PTI has fielded Zain Qureshi in NA-150.

The PML-N’s decision to hand Salman Naeem the PP-218 ticket also enraged old workers, who believe Naeem ‘hijacked’ the party, opposed awarding a ticket to stalwarts Rana Mehmoodul Hassan and former provincial minister Chaudhry Abdul Waheed Arain in NA-150, and supported Javed Ansari instead. Arain was a silent spectator during the campaigning process and did not throw his weight behind the PML-N’s candidate.

In NA-151, the PML-N fielded Abdul Ghafar Dogar against the PPP’s Ali Musa Gillani and PTI’s Meher Bano Qureshi. In its connected provincial assembly constituencies, the PP-219 ticket was given to turncoat Dr Akhtar Malik, while stalwart Rana Iqbal Siraj left the party for the PPP after being denied the ticket for PP-220. He will be contesting against the PML-N’s candidate, Rai Mansab Ali Khan, and the PTI’s Zahid Bahar Hashmi for the seat.

In NA-152, PML-N candidate Javed Ali Shah was an uncontroversial choice, but there were differences among supporters over the allotment of provincial assembly tickets to a former PTI MPA, Mian Tariq Abdullah, in PP-221. Furthermore, former PML-N MPA Rana Tahir Shabbir is contesting against the party in PP-222 on a PPP ticket after being denied by his own party.

Meanwhile, the PML-N’s PP-222 candidate, Rana Ijaz Noon, is supporting PPP candidate Abdul Qadir Gillani in NA-152, as the PML-N’s candidate in NA-152, Javed Ali Shah, has fielded his cousin, Mujahid Ali Shah, as an independent candidate for PP-222.

Finally, in NA-153, the PML-N allotted its ticket to former PTI MNA Rana Qasim Noon, leaving Dewan Ashiq Bukhari, a former PML-N MNA, without a ticket in the constituency. Mr Bukhari is now contesting from NA-153 as an independent and has also fielded his son, Dewan Abbas Bukhari, against the PML-N candidate from PP-224.

The PML-N’s moves have significantly reshaped the political landscape in Multan, leading to a series of defections and realignments. It remains to be seen how these decisions will impact the election results and the future political scenario.

Dera Ghazi Khan

This district, known for its tribal politics, has been buzzing with activity. The district has three National Assembly seats (NA-184, NA-185, and NA-186) and six provincial assembly seats. The caste and tribe affiliations of the candidates and voters are expected to play a significant role in the election outcomes.

For example, NA-184 is witnessing a battle between two tribal chiefs: Sardar Zulfiqar Khan Khosa, who heads the Khosa tribe, and Javed Lund, chief of the Lund tribe. Both are independent candidates, with the PML-N’s Abdul Qadir Khosa and the PTI’s Ali Rata Khalol also in the contest.

The area, which includes Shadin Lund, Shah Saddardin, Kala Colony, and Kot Mubarak, is mostly populated by the Khosa tribe but houses a significant population of the Lund tribe as well. Abdul Qadir Khosa, who is ahead in the race, was accused of using the state’s machinery to garner voter support. Javed Lund, who is also contesting from PP-286, seems to have focused most of his attention on the provincial assembly seat.

In PP-287, the candidates are PTI’s Ikhlaq Bidani, the PML-N’s Osama Fayyaz Leghari, and the PPP’s Dost Muhammad Khosa. It covers part of DG Khan city and the Bela area. The constituency has a large Khosa presence and was the constituency from where Dost Muhammad Khosa became CM of Punjab in the past.

NA-185 is a test of loyalties, as the race features PTI-backed Zartaj Gul, the PPP’s Dost Muhammad Khosa, and independent candidate Mahmood Qadir Leghari. The constituency includes parts of DG Khan city and Kot Chhuta. Dost Muhammad Khosa is the favoured candidate due to his tribal chief status and because he has the support of the PML-N’s MPA candidate, Syed Abdul Aleem Shah. Zartaj Gul was earlier not available to campaign and joined the campaign only two days ago.

The candidates in PP-288 are the PML-N’s Syed Aleem Shah, Hanif Pitafi as an independent, and PTI-backed Iqbal Saqib Advocate. Independent candidates Hanif Pitafi and Mahmood Qadir Leghari are supporting each other at the provincial and national level, and Mahmood Qadir Legahri also has the support of Awais Leghari in the constituency.

Mahmood Qadir Leghari and Dost Muhammad Khosa are also candidates for PP-289, which includes Kot Chhutta, where Legharis are in the majority.

NA-186 has PML-N’s Awais Leghari, the PPP’s Dost Muhammad Khosa, and PTI-backed Mahar Sajjad Chheena contesting for the seat. The constituency, which includes Fort Munro, Sakhi Sarwar, Choti Bala, Choti Zairen Mana Ahmadani, and Darkhast Jamal Khan, is a stronghold of the Leghari tribe. Awais Leghari, who is the tribal chief, is said to have personally overseen the delimitation carried out by the ECP in DG Khan and succeeded in gathering his tribe’s voters in his native constituency.

Awais Leghari is also contesting from PP-290 against the PTI’s Mohiuddin Khosa. The constituency covers Darkhast Jamal Khan, Kot Chuta rural area, Mana Ahmadani, and Basti Fuaja. This constituency’s politics is very tribal in nature, which will be a major factor in favour of the patron of the Leghari tribe.

Meanwhile, the PPP’s Ramzan Qadir, PML-N’s Muhammad Ahmad Leghari and PTI’s Faheem Saeed Changwani are contesting for PP- 291, which covers Sakhi Sarwar, Fort Munro, Choti Bala and Choti Zairain.

Published in Dawn, February 7th, 2024