LAHORE, Sept 30: Wealth may carry the day in the National Assembly constituency NA-125 (LAHORE-VIII) that was once known for “political voting behaviour” before Humayun Akhtar Khan entered the scene with his huge coffers in 1993.

The constituency covers both the Walton and Lahore Cantonments and is considered unique in the sense that it includes the city’s most affluent areas like the Defence Housing Authority (DHA), Cavalry Ground, and Sarwar Road (along with the General’s Colony) as well as slums and kutcha abadis like Gulistan Colony and Chungi Amar Sadhu and poorer localities on and along the Walton Road. The area is largely inhabited by serving and retired armymen from the Arain, Mayo, Bhatti, and Awan clans.

Most poorer localities and kutcha abadis are without sewerage, drainage, and other basic civic amenities.

The constituency has always returned the PPP candidates except in 1993 and 1997. The presence of 20,000-strong non-Muslim voters is expected to play a decisive role in the outcome of the October elections.

Though three main contenders for the constituency this year — Akram Zaki of the PML-N, Naveed Chaudhry of the PPP, and Humayun Akhtar Khan of the PML-QA —- reject the suggestion that money can play a decisive role in the outcome of the elections, they concede that wealth along with what is commonly known as official backing to the PML-QA would increase the chances of its candidate.

“It is true that the PML-QA candidate has money to be used for carrying out a big publicity campaign and establish more election offices in the area than his challengers can or even can get some politically-motivated development work initiated. But it will not swing politically-committed voters in his favour,” claims Naveed.

He says his party lost in 1993 and 1997 because of in-fighting of workers and mismanagement. “These problems have now been taken care of and we will win in spite of massive wealth of Mr Akhtar,” he insisted.

Humayun agrees with his assessment, saying money has “limited” role to play in the elections. “It does help in some matters like launching an organized publicity drive but you can’t buy votes.”

However, it remains a fact that during the 1993 campaign, he distributed massive quantity of flour, ghee and other households items in areas forming his constituency to win the polls. People of the area and his rivals expect him to repeat it this time around too. Besides, they believe that he is the only candidate who can afford to spend enough money to transport voters to polling booths. Akram Zaki of the PML-N is of the opinion that wealth does not matter “substantially” when it comes to political voting. Some of workers can be swayed with money but “such people are always in a tiny minority and should not be depended upon as can be purchased with equal ease by anyone”.

Except for Humayun Akhtar, who is running an expensive campaign in the area, his challengers are yet to get off the ground. He is also benefiting from his “network of workers” he created in 1993 by spending huge money against PPP’s Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan who is now fighting for the National Assembly from the neighbouring NA-124.

Humayun feels that he is “facing weak candidates with the exit of heavyweights like Aitzaz, Salman Taseer and Khwaja Saad Rafiq” for one reason or the other. He claims that he also has sympathy vote because he was ousted by Nawaz Sharif from this constituency in 1997 in spite of a popular backing. “Besides the common perception that the PML-QA is going to form the next government is also likely to help me.”

Akram Zaki also claims that his campaign is in full gear and the party organization is fully active in the area. “The party has full coverage in the area as far as organizational structure is concerned. This is going to make a big difference on the polling day, he says.

Since non-Muslims will be voting in the general elections for the first time after the abolition of the joint electorate, all three major contestants are claiming their support.

“Minorities have traditionally voted for the PPP, and it will not be any exception this time around,” claims Naveed. “We’ve got a tremendous response from them because they know that the PPP had always stood by them,” he adds.

“I have always been in touch with the minority voters even when they were not part of the mainstream,” claims Humayun.

“They know that I am the only candidate who has stood by them, shared their joys and sorrows and carried out development works in their localities,” he adds.

“The most enthusiastic response that I got from the area is from the localities of the non-Muslim voters,” says Akram Zaki. “They know that only an educated and learned leadership can take the country out of the present morass and they have assured me of their full support.”