A split in the family may find two Mahar brothers — Ali Mohammad Khan Mahar and Ali Gohar Khan Mahar — at odds with the third Mahar brother, Ali Nawaz Khan Mahar, more popularly known as Raja Mahar, and their young cousin, chief of the Mahar tribe, Mohammad Bux Khan Mahar. The conflict has arisen along party lines, as Ali Mohammed Mahar and Ali Gohar Mahar have divorced themselves from the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).

The reality on the ground, however, is not as binary as that family dispute initially seems to suggest. There is no guarantee Raja Mahar remains loyal to the PPP as some observers have pointed out, which is why the party continues to hedge its bets.

Also read: PPP has turned into ‘Faryal League’, says Mahar chieftain

“Ali Gohar Mahar was annoyed when the PPP welcomed Khalid Khan Loond. He had defeated Loond in the 2013 polls. Additionally, in the recent by-elections the PPP awarded a ticket to Abdul Bari Pitafi — someone that Gohar did not want,” said a political observer.

Considering Ali Gohar Mahar had to give away his position as chief of the Mahar tribe to the young Mohammad Bux Mahar — the eldest son of Ghulam Mohammad Mahar — when he came of age, it is no surprise that the elder Mahar is looking for a way to reclaim lost influence.

Ali Gohar Mahar was annoyed when the PPP welcomed Khalid Khan Loond. He had defeated Loond in the 2013 polls. Additionally, in the recent by-elections the PPP awarded a ticket to Abdul Bari Pitafi — someone that Gohar did not want.

A political observer

Home of influential sardars

The district has a population of about 1.6 million people, with 706,451 registered voters — 399,348 men and 307,193 women. It has two national and four provincial assembly seats.

An agricultural powerhouse, the district is home to rich landlords and powerful families. The Mahars and their associates are also famous for playing hosts to wealthy Arabs who travel to Pakistan for hunting the endangered Houbara bustard.

Vying for NA seats and a controversial candidate in the midst

NA-204 is up for grabs between Khalid Ahmed Loond of the PPP, and Mian Abdul Haq, also known as, Mian Mithoo. The latter — an influential pir in the area — came into the limelight in 2012, when a Hindu girl, Rinkle Kumari, was said to be forcibly converted. Renamed Faryal, the girl had eloped with a man called Naveed Shah. Her family had accused Mian Mithoo of strong-arming the whole incident. Mithoo is being backed by Ali Gohar Mahar, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf and Halaar Pitafi — half-brother of PPP’s Abdul Bari Pitafi.

For NA-205 the PPP has chosen Ahsanullah Sundrani. Observers, however, do not rule out the possibility of Sundrani deciding to withdraw instead of facing Ali Mohammed Mahar who will contest the seat.

Provincial Seats

The four provincial constituencies in the district are, PS-18, PS-19, PS-20 and PS-21. The PPP’s Jam Mahtab Dahar will compete against Shahryar Shar of the PTI in PS-18. Shahryar lost to Dahar in the 2013 polls with a margin of 7,000 votes. This time, however, he enjoys the support of Ali Gohar Mahar and Nadir Akmal Leghari who — despite recently joining the PTI — continues to side with Ali Gohar Mahar.

Ali Gohar Mahar is challenging Abdul Bari Pitafi in PS-19. Halaar Pitafi is in the running as well and he could damage his brother’s vote bank, and consequently the PPP.

The Mahars are based in Khangarh, which is part of the PS-20 constituency. Mohammad Bux Mahar’s candidacy on the seat was recently rejected by the returning officer and the election tribunal. If the decision to reject his nomination papers is reversed by the court, and he remains with the PPP, he is set to go up against his cousins, the two Mahar brothers.

“Ali Gohar Mahar visited Mohammad Bux Mahar along with other elders of the Mahar tribe to convince him to return the PPP ticket, and run as an independent,” said an observer. Apparently, Ali Gohar Mahar has promised to withdraw his candidacy and let Mohammed Bux Mahar win unopposed if he agrees to leave the PPP.

The last constituency of the district, PS-21, includes Ghotki city taluka itself where Raja Mahar faces the independent candidate, Saifullah Dharejo, and Tabdeeli Pasand Party’s Gul Mohammad Kalwar.

The competition in Sukkur

Jam Saifullah Dharejo’s brother, Jam Ikramullah Dharejo, has been given the PPP ticket for PS-22, where Ali Gohar Mahar is also in the running. After the new delimitation, a significant number of Mahar supporters have been reassigned to the constituency.

The Dharejo hometown is part of the PS-21 constituency, and that is where Saifullah Dharejo wants to run from. He was asked to contest the NA-205 constituency instead of Ahsanullah Sundrani, but he refused. So instead, Ikramullah Dharejo has now been approached to run in NA-205 instead of PS-22, but he has not yet made a final decision.

Sukkur district’s PS-23 stretches to Saleh Pat area and has considerable Mahar support as well. Ali Gohar Mahar is backing Mohammad Ali Shaikh in the polls, while Khursheed Shah’s son-in-law, Awais Qadir Shah, is the PPP’s candidate for the constituency.

As for the Pitafis, they are convinced that Ali Gohar Mahar is trying to harm Abdul Bari Pitafi by instigating Halaar Pitafi against him. That is why they are expected to support Mohammed Bux Mahar — if he can contest the elections that is. Their support could be crucial because PS-20 has a substantial number of Pitafi voters.

Published in Dawn, June 29th, 2018