VEHARI: The four women candidates from the district have lost elections. Tehmina Daultana (PML-N), Natasha Daultana (PPP), and sisters Ayesha Nazeer Jutt and Dr Arifa Nazir Jutt (both independent candidates), were contesting for NA-164, NA-163, NA-162, and NA-163.

Tehmina Daultana lost elections for NA-164 for the second time against Tahir Iqbal Chaudhry. In 2013, she lost to Mr Chaudhry with a margin of 16,702 votes. In 2018, the margin was reduced to 13,886 votes.

PPP`s Natasha Daultana lost polls for NA-163 to PML-N’s Sajid Mehdi with a margin of 42,602 votes. She stood fourth in the count. Dr Arifa Nazir Jutt contesting for the same constituency got the third position. She got 29,243 votes while Mr Mehdi bagged 72,325 votes. The fourth woman who lost poll for NA-162 is Ayesha Nazir Jutt, who stood runner-up in the constituency. She got 64,766 votes against PML-N’s Chaudhry Faqeer Ahmed who got 81,956 votes.

The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) improved the result this time as compared to the last elections. In the 2013 election, PTI’s Jahanzaib Khichi was the only candidate who was elected from the district.

Presently, the PTI won two NA and four PA seats in the district.

Tahir Iqbal Chaudhry won elections for NA-164 but his younger brother Zahid Iqbal lost elections for PP-234 against PML-N’s Mian Saqib with a margin of 3,340 votes. The PTI lost polls for NA-163 and NA-162 due to dissident candidates Ayesha Nazir Jutt and Arifa Nazir Jutt. The Jutt group did not win any seat though its candidates contested for two NA and four PA seats. Political observers said that Ayesha Jutt was a better candidate than Khalid Mehmood Chohan for NA-162 as she got more votes from Chohan. Ms Jutt got 64,766 votes while Mr Chohan got 58,602 votes.

PML-N’s Saeed Manais and his son Asif Saeed Manais lost their seats against PTI candidates. Saeed Manais contested for NA-165 and was defeated by Aurangzaib Khichi while his son was defeated by Ali Raza Khakwani in PP-235.

In the 2013 elections, both Mainas were elected from the same constituencies against the same PTI candidates. Saeed Manais tasted a double defeat as he lost polls for PP-233 as an independent candidate against PTI’s Rai Zahoor Kharal. This is the first time, the Manais family is out of assemblies.

Another PML-N dissident and former provincial minister Naeem Bhaba lost poll for NA-164. He got 32,315 votes which proved fatal for PNL-N candidate Tehmina Daultana in the constituency. For the Daultanas, the only saving grace is the victory of Arfan Aqeel Daultana, son of Tehmina Daultana, from PP-231.

This also happened as Natasha Daultana supported him here. PTI’s Ishaq Khakwani also experienced a double defeat as he was contesting for NA-163 and PP-231.

Published in Dawn, July 31st, 2018