A total of 14 candidates including four independent candidates are in the ring to contest warmly in February 18 election for NA-259 constituency, the provincial capital's seat, comprising 47 union councils in the city.
The number of registered voters in the constituency are 365579 including 204780 men and 160799 women. Four Balochistan Assembly seats PB-I Quetta-1 to PB-IV Quetta-4 fall in the constituency. The Election Commission will set up 278 polling stations while 755 polling booths for the constituency.
There is not any arch rival candidates to face each other in contesting the election for the NA seat, but political experts believe that the main contest will be among candidates of major political parties including Pakistan People's Party (PPP), PML-Q, Awwami National Party (ANP) and PML-N.
PPP has awarded its ticket for NA-259 to Syed Nasir Ali Shah who is business tycoon and joined the party in 2005. Earlier, he was not affiliated with any political party. However, he had remained active member of National Awwami Party (NAP) in 1970s when his father had served as senator from 1972 to 77 of that party. It is for the first time he is contesting any election.
PML-Q has given its ticket to Anwar-ul-Haq Kakar who joined the party in 2006. He remained active political activist during his student life on platform of Pakhtoon Students Federation (PSF), a student wing of ANP in 1990s. He is also going to contest the election for the first time.
MMA and JUI has granted its ticket to Maulana Abdul Aziz Khilji who started his political career from JUI in 1970. He had contested the election-1990 from platform of Muttahida Deeni Mahaz from Karachi and did not return.
Commander Khuda-e-Dad, provincial president ANP, is nominated candidate of his party for the constituency. He began his political life from platform of NAP in 1965. Later, he joined National Democratic Party, then ANP. He had contested the election-1988 for PB-II Quetta-2, BA seat, but did not win.
PML-N has awarded its ticket for the constituency to Khuda-e-Noor Khan. He commenced his practical politics from platform of Tehrik-i-Istiqlal-TI led by Air Marshal Asghar Khan (Retd) in 1969.
Being closed friend of Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti, Khuda-e-Noor also convinced Nawab Bugti to join TI. Nawab Akbar Bugti left TI and formed his own party Jamhuri Watan Party (JWP) in 1990. Khuda-e-Noor joined JWP in 1993. He was elected as senator from JWP in 1997. He left JWP in 2000 and joined PML-N in 2003. He took part in different elections during the last four decades, but did not return in any election.
Arbab Abdul Ghani Kasi has got ticket of Muttahida Qawmi Movement (MQM) for contesting the election. He joined MQM in 2005. Earlier, he was active member of PPP till 2002. It is for the first time he is going to contest any election.
Hafiz Fazal Muhammad Barech is nominated candidate of JUI (Nazayati Group) He started his political struggle from platform of JUI in 1985. He took part in election in 1990s but did not remain victorious in any election. He was elected as senator of JUI in 1995.
Nominated candidate of Azad Ham Khayal Group is former governor Balochistan, Muhammad Fazal Agha who will contest the election for the constituency. His senior family members had affiliated with Muslim League in 1940s. He was elected as deputy chairman senate in 1988 and served as advisor to prime minister in 1997. He had contested elections in 1997 and 2002, but did remain victorious.
Interestingly, PPP leader former MPA, Shafiq Ahmed Khan who is also member of provincial action committee of PPP, will contest the election 2008 as independent candidate for NA-259. He joined PPP in 1989. He contested election for councillor in 1979 and got the highest number of votes in Pakistan. Later, he was also elected as councillor in 1983 and 87. He remained MPA from 2002 to 2007.
Abdul Khaliq Hazara will contest the election from platform of Hazara Democratic Party (HDP). He started his practical politics during his student life from platform of Hazara Students Federation (HSF), a student wing of HDP, in 1983. He was elected as councillor in 1997 and nazim in 2002. He also served as naib nazim Zarghoon Town from 2002 to 2005.
Two women independent candidates will also contest the election for the constituency. They included Rubina Babar and Shahida Perveen. They had remained unaffiliated with any political party. It is for the first time they are contesting any election.
Two other independent candidates are Syed Tahir Zaidi and Arshad Iqbal Jadoon. They had served as social workers and stepped in the politics recently. However, Jadoon had been elected as councillor in 1992.
A historical review of the constituency: In the election 2002, Maulana Noor Muhammad of MMA was winner who obtained 22111 votes whereas runner up chairman PMAP Mehmood Khan Achakzai secured 17240 votes. Voters turnout recorded as 24.3 percent. Election 1997: Atif Ali Sanjarani of PML-N obtained 25261 votes and defeated Hafiz Hussain Ahmed of JUI-F who obtained 18700 votes. Voters turnout remained as 26.90 percent.
In the election 1993, Mehmood Khan Achakzai of PMAP secured 47559 votes defeated Sardar Fateh Muhammad Hassani of PPP who got 38649 votes. Turnout was 36.12 percent. In the election 1990, Sardar Fateh Muhammad Hassani of PPP won.
He obtained 37874 votes whereas his rival Hafiz Hussain Ahmed of JUI-F obtained 34207 votes. Turnout was 35.63 percent.
In the election 1988, Hafiz Hussain Ahmed of JUI-F obtained 22903 votes defeated his, the then traditional rival Sardar Fateh Muhammad Hassani with margin of 1482 votes who secured 21421 votes. Voters turnout recorded in the constituency as 36.24 percent.
Non-party election 1985: Sardar Fateh Muhammad Hassani obtained 25933 votes was winner whereas his rival Saeed Ahmed Hashmi secured 14153 votes.
Election 1977 (NA-259 was NA-194 Quetta): Tahir Muhammad Khan of PPP obtained 24956 votes and defeated Arbab Abdul Qadir of NAP with a margin of over 9000 votes. Arbab Qadir had secured 15793 votes.
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