PESHAWAR: In an upset for the first time in the political history of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the heads of four political parties and as many provincial heads, who took part in the 2018 general elections, lost the polls to their rivals.

The top leaders, who lost the elections, include JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, ANP president Asfandyar Wali Khan, QWP chairman Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao and JI emir Sirajul Haq.

The provincial presidents, who lost the elections, include PPP’s Mohammad Humayun Khan, QWP’s Sikandar Hayat Khan Sherpao, JUI-F’s Maulana Gul Naseeb Khan and PML-N’s Amir Muqam.

Of them only Sirajul Haq is member of Senate but his party has lost its position in its stronghold Dir, Buner and Malakand districts. These leaders, except Sirajul Haq, have also faced attempts on their lives on different occasions.

PTI candidates defeat Maulana Fazl, Asfandyar Wali, Aftab Sherpao and Sirajul Haq in their respective constituencies

Maulana Fazlur Rahman has been playing active role in the national politics since 1988 when he was elected MNA from his hometown Dera Ismail Khan.

He had lost the 1990 elections but managed to become MNA in 1993 for the second time on Islamic Jamhoori Mahaz ticket and served as chairman of National Assembly standing committee on foreign affairs.

He again lost the 1997 elections but he managed to reach the National Assembly in 2002 for the third time on Mutahidda Majlis Amal ticket when he won two seats -- NA-24 and NA-25 -- and later vacated one. He served as leader of opposition in the National Assembly from 2004 to 2007.

He was elected MNA from NA-26 Bannu in 2008 and appointed chairman of Kashmir committee of National Assembly. Since May 2014, he served as chairman of special committee of National Assembly on Kashmir having a status of federal minister.

Maulana Fazl as chief of MMA contested the elections for two National Assembly seats from his hometown Dera Ismail Khan. He lost the elections to PTI candidates Ali Ameen Gandapur and Yaqoob Sheikh.

JI chief Sirajul Haq is still a member of Senate and has served twice as provincial senior minister. For the first time he was elected MPA from Dir Lower in 2002 on MMA ticket and was appointed provincial finance minister.

His party had boycotted the elections in 2008, but he became MPA in 2013 on JI ticket from Dir Lower for the second time. He resigned from the assembly in 2014 when he became chief of JI. He was elected senator in 2015, but on July 25, 2018 he contested for NA-7 Dir Lower and lost the elections to PTI candidate Bashir Khan.

Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao also played active role in the politics. He was elected MNA for first time in 1977 on PPP ticket from his hometown Charsadda. He also remained MNA in 1988 as well as twice chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and also served as opposition leader in the provincial assembly in 90s.

Mr Sherpao served PPP as its provincial chief and senior vice chairman in the centre but his differences with Benazir Bhutto forced him to form his own faction of PPP in 2002.

He frequently won the elections as MNA from his home district Charsadda and also served as federal minister for water and power, federal interior minister during different tenures. He won the 2013 elections for National Assembly seat but lost the 2018 election to PTI’s Anwar Taj.

Similarly, ANP president Asfandyar Wali Khan has been in the parliamentary politics since 1990 when he was elected MPA.

He was also elected MNA in 1993 but could not win in 2002. He was elected senator in 2003 and then MNA in 2008.

He served as chairman of National Assembly standing committee on foreign affairs and chairman of standing committee on inter-provincial coordination and his party’s parliamentary leader in different tenures. However, he lost 2018 elections to PTI’s Fazl Mohammad Khan.

The provincial heads also lost the elections in their respective constituencies to PTI candidates.

Published in Dawn, July 27th, 2018