OKARA: PML-N and PTI candidates for NA-142 and PP-189, in their election camps in the city and its suburbs, are serving fresh delicacies like jalebi, Halwa Puri and Doodh Soda to attract voters at night.

In the NA seat, PML-N’s Chaudhry Riazul Haq Juj and PTI’s Rao Hassan Sikandar are in the contest and they are trying to lure the voters by satisfying their palate. Following the suit, an independent candidate, Mian Abdul Rasheed, is also serving the voters with the same eatables.

The main clans in NA-142 are Arains, Rajpoots, Maliks, Rehmanis, Balochs and Siyals. The politics in the constituency is based on traditional clans with Arians and Rajpoots main political rivals.

Traditionally, no single political party has ever succeeded to get elected for the second term of the National Assembly in the area. The only exception was the 1977 when PPP’s Rao Khursheed Ali Khan was elected for the second term after being a winner in 1970.

Presently in NA-142, 12 candidates are in the contest but the real competition is between Riazul Haq Juj and Rao Hassan Sikandar. The other contenders include Mian Abdul Rasheed (independent), Shumaila Shaukat of Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan, Nawab Tariq Pathan of the PPP and transperson Nayyab Ali (Arsalan).

Juj belongs to a big industrial family. He is from the Arain clan with inroads in other clans also. His family had a big victory in the local bodies’ election and the municipal committee chairman is also of his family. The Muttahida Majalis-i-Amal and Shia Ulema Council have declared their support for Juj and his party candidates in provincial assembly seats.

PTI’s Rao Hassan Sikandar is contesting for the first time but he is the son of three times MNA, the late Rao Sikander Iqbal. His father was elected as MNA in 2002 election on a PPP ticket but later joined Gen Musharraf which resulted in his elevation as defence minister. As a minister, Rao Sikandar was involved in a number of development projects, including road construction, Cadet College, University of Education sub-campus, which later turned into the University of Okara, and health facilities. But despite all his work, he had lost the 2008 election and his spouse, Shafiqa Sikander Rao, in 2013. His son, Hassan Sikander, enjoys support of Rajpoots who have been struggling to regain power in the constituency since 2002. Hassan also had the considerable support of other clans besides the followers of Jamaat-i-Ahle Sunnat led by Sahibzada Mufti Fazalur Rehman Okaravi.

In PP-189, PML-N candidate is Chaudhry Muneebul Haq, the councillor of the municipality committee and the son of former MPA Chaudhry Ikramul Haq of Arain clan.

The PTI candidate is Chaudhry Muhammad Saleem Sadiq, also from the Arain clan. He’s contesting his first-ever election. He remained president of the city’s traders association for 10 years and is supported by his community. The PPP has nominated Rao Muhammad Rafiq Sajjid, a party worker since his student life in 1970’s. The TLP candidate is Rao Maqsood.

The second provincial assembly constituency in the area of NA-142 is PP-188 where the contest is between PML-N’s Mian Yawar Zaman, a winner for three consecutive times, and Chaudhry Abdullah Tahir of the PTI. Yawar Zaman is the son of former MNA and federal minister Mian Muhammad Zaman. He is from the known Mian Family of Buraj Jeevy Khan who are in the politics before the Partition. Mian Adul Haq of this family was the known activist of the Pakistan Movement. Yawar was facing newcomer Chaudhry Abdullah Tahir.

The total population in NA-142 and its two PP seats 188 and 189 is 7 61,376 while the registered voters are 421,873. The main urban areas is municipal committee (Okara City), Cantonment Board, along with the Qanoon Go circles are Okara Cantt, and the rural area of Chak 2/L, Chak 4/L and Chak 3/R.

Published in Dawn, July 20th, 2018