TOBA TEK SINGH: In three urban constituencies of Faisalabad, the PML-N is strong in one constituency, the PTI-backed candidate has an upper hand in the other while a tough contest is expected between the candidates of the both the parties in the third.

In NA-100, Rana Sanaullah has a contest against the PTI-backed candidate Dr Nisar Jat and the PPP’s Sidra Saeed Bandesha. In 2018, Rana Sana had defeated the PTI’s Dr Nisar Jat, the son-in-law of the late PPP MNA Ilyas Jat. Both the candidates are again in the race in the constituency and a tough contest is expected between them this time.

However, there is a twist that might help Rana Sanaullah. The PPP disgruntled candidate from PP-108, Faisalabad, Saad Saeed Iqbal, the son of former late PPP MNA Saeed Iqbal and grandson of former PPP provincial minister Chaudhry Talib Hussain, had applied for a party ticket from his late father’s constituency, NA-100, but the party nominated new entrant, Sidra Bandesha, while Saad was asked to contest from PP-108.

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At this, Saad got offended and refused to contest from provincial assembly seat. The other day, he announced his support for Rana Sanaullah. As a result, Rana Sana is looking in a better position than Dr Nisar Jat and Sidra. Jat is campaigning in the constituency from hiding; however, his wife and daughter, who were never seen in the public, are running his campaign.

In NA-102, former state minister Abid Sher Ali of the PML-N and PTI-backed Changaiz Khan Kakar advocate are campaigning for victory. In 2018, the PTI’s former federal minister Farrukh Habib had defeated Abid Sher Ali but later he quit the PTI and joined Istehkam-i-Pakistan Party (IPP). When the PML-N did not consider his constituency for seat adjustment with the IPP, he withdrew his candidature.

Sources claim that a majority of the supporters of Habib and his family are now supporting Kakar. There are old differences between Abid Sher Ali and Rana Sanaullah Khan and it is said that non-cooperation between both the PML-N leaders had caused Abid’s defeat in the constituency in 2018 when Rana Sana had also lost the provincial assembly election.

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The situation is not different this time against as there is no coordination between Abid and Rana Shahryar, the son-in-law of Rana Sanaullah, who is the PML-N candidate from PP-116 in Abid’s constituency. Observers say that the lack of coordination between Abid and Shahryar can bring about the fall of both of them. Rana Shahryar is facing PTI-backed candidate, former MPA Malik Ismail Seela.

In NA-103, former federal minister Haji Akram Ansari, who remained an MNA from the same constituency from 1985 to 2013, has been a PML-N candidate in the last six elections. This time again, he is in the contest and facing PTI-backed candidate Muhammad Ali Sarfraz, the son of retired politician former federal interior minister Mian Zahid Sarfraz. Sarfraz is contesting his first-ever election after his father’s last election and win in 1993.

In 2018, Ansari was defeated by the PTI’s Sheikh Khurram Shahzad and political circles thought that the rift between Ansari and the provincial assembly candidate, Nawaz Malik, a former MPA, became a cause of defeat of both Ansari and Nawaz as they had opposed each other. Similar differences between both of them still exist as Nawaz was not given the PML-N ticket on Ansari’s pressure. Instead, he was awarded a ticket from another constituency where he did not file own nomination papers but fielded his brother who was now contesting from new constituency.

Nawaz’ opposition to Ansari will benefit Muhammad Ali Sarfraz, the PTI-backed candidate. Though the PPP has also fielded Rana Mubashir Ali from this seat, the voters have ruled out his victory.

Published in Dawn, February 7th, 2024