PESHAWAR: A tough contest is expected on all five National Assembly and 12 provincial assembly constituencies of the district Peshawar, the provincial capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the general elections 2024.
Though the previous two general elections of 2013 and 2018 were swept by the candidates of Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI), but due to the poor performance of the previous federal and provincial governments, other political parties have not only strengthened their roots, rather they are also getting benefits of the prevailing political situation in the country.
In NA-28 Peshawar-I, a suburban constituency a former PTI MNA Noor Alam Khan is this time contesting election on the ticket of JUI-F is facing Sajid Nawaz, a former MNA of the PTI who contesting election on the symbol of Keychain against Kiramatullah Khan Chagarmati, a former Speaker of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, while ANP has fielded a retired professor Fayyaz Khan and Jamaat-e-Islami has allotted ticket to a former provincial minister Hafiz Hashmat Khan. Arbab Khizar Hayat is also in the field on the ticket of PML-N.
In NA-29 Peshawar-II, the contest is amongst a former PTI affiliated MNA Arbab Aamir Ayub, who is in the field on the electoral symbol of Bowl against Amjad Aziz of PPP, Saqibullah Khan Chamkani of ANP, Sobia Shahid PML-N, Akhundzada Irfanullah Shah of JUI-F while JI has fielded a former judge Malik Ghulam Mohyuddin. As all political parties claim equally popular, therefore a very tough contest is expected among all contestants.
Similarly, in NA-30 Peshawar-III, another suburban constituency Nasir Khan Musazai of JUI-F is facing Arbab Zain Omar of ANP, Raees Khan of PML-N, Kashif Azam of JI, Niaz Mohammad of PPP and Shandana Gulzar of PTI, who is contesting election on the symbol of Bowl Nasir Khan Musazai is a former PTI MNA from the constituency while Shandana Gulzar has remained MNA on women reserved seat.
In NA-31 Peshawar-IV mostly comprises of the posh localities of Cantonment, University Town, Hayatabad and Regi Lalma Township wherein Arbab Alamgir Khan Khalil of PPP is facing Pir Haroon Shah of ANP, Sobia Shahid of PML-N, Imdad Khan Khalil of JI and Mohammad Saeed Jan of JUI-F. PTI is supporting an independent candidate Arbab Sher Ali, who is a close relative of Arbab Alamgir Khan.
Arbab Alamgir Khan Khalil, the son of a former chief minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Arbab Jehangir Khan Khalil has served as Federal Minister for Communications during 2008-13 of PPP led coalition government while his spouse Asma Alamgir was special assistant to then Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani.
In NA-32 Peshawar-V, is consisting of the urban localities including Jehangir Pura, Dabgari Gardens, Gunj, Qissa Khwani, Karimpura, Lahori and Gulbahar, Haji Ghulam Ahmad Bilour of ANP is facing Abidullah Khan Yousafzai of PPP, Sher Rehman of PML-N, Tariq Mateen of JI and Hussain Ahmad Madni of JUI-F while Asif Khan of PTI is going to contest as an independent candidate on the symbol of Handcart.
Haji Ghulam Ahmad Bilour is an ANP stalwart and political veteran has contested all previous elections since 1988 except in 2002 due to the conditionality of the qualification of graduation. In the general elections of 2013, he had lost against PTI Chairman, Imran Khan. However, in the by-election he succeeded in regaining his seat. In most of the previous elections, he had won with the support of either PPP or PML-N, but this time all political parties had fielded their own candidates.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
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