Lahore’s NA-127 has been in the news for a few weeks now, mostly due to coverage of PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari’s campaign in an area that could otherwise be considered a PML-N stronghold.

But although the media’s attention has been focused on the potential battle between the Sharifs’ candidate, Atta Tarrar, and Benazir Bhutto’s son, there is another, lesser known young candidate who has also thrown his hat in the ring.

Hailing from a district along Balochistan’s border with Afghanistan, Muzamil Kakar is vying for the seat under the banner of the newly-established Haqooq-i-Khalq Party (HKP), which according to him follows the communist ideology.

The 27-year-old, an alumnus of Punjab University, says he was drawn to the HKP platform by their work for the rights of marginalised people.

“We advocate for labour rights, students’ rights, migrant rights… everything that involves public interest. If you take a look at HKP’s manifesto, we want to voice public concerns ranging from increasing prices to class bias” he told Dawn, adding that by joining a party of like-minded people, he found that his voice had been amplified.

Mr Kakar told Dawn he started his election campaign on his motor bike, going door-to-door and mingling with area residents. The idea behind this, he says, is to make voters feel like he is one of them.

“The residents of this area are living in poor conditions and they don’t speak up. HKP has been working silently for years to build an image, and we recently created some competition for the [other] parties by conducting one of the biggest gatherings in the area on New Year’s Eve,” he said.

“I have been subjected to racism and religious violence, so I am personally attached with the causes I stand for, which makes me a better candidate than the ones [who come from] political families,” he said.

Having lived in Lahore during his student life, he fully understands the trials and tribulations of students from far-flung areas who struggle to adjust to life in the hostels of a major urban university.

To help people like himself, he founded an NGO ‘Connect the Disconnected’, which is working for the promotion of education.

The organisation manages a Facebook group specifically designed for students relocating from one province to another for educational purposes.

The group focuses on providing regular updates about admissions, courses, and other relevant information related to educational institutions. Its primary goal is to simplify the process for migrant students.

Talking about his political journey, Mr Kakar shared with Dawn that he was very active in student politics, advocating for rights of students.

He was also a part of a nationwide Student Action Committee, advocating for the restoration of student unions.

Published in Dawn, January 18th, 2024