Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) is facing a stiff competition from Pakistan People's Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) on National Assembly (NA) seat NA 54 Rawalpindi unlike on 6 other NA seats from garrison city of Pakistan where it has a neck-and-neck competition with Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI).
As compared to other 6 constituencies of Rawalpindi district where PML-N is facing a real challenge from PTI, on NA 54 Zumurad Khan the former Chairman of Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal, a strong candidate is contesting election on the ticket of PPPP against Malik Abrar of PML-N. Political analysts are considering Rawalpindi city as second Lahore for PML-N where it has an edge over other political forces.
"Rawalpindi is always considered, the second Lahore for PML-N and the party emerged victorious in last elections. In the general election 2008, PML-N bagged six out of seven National Assembly seats from Rawalpindi", Abdullah Awan a local PML-N activist said while talking to Business Recorder.
NA-54 comprises Peshawar Road from Golra Mor to Tench Bhatta including areas around General Headquarters (GHQ), Lalazar, Westridge, Misrial Road and adjoining areas. It has a total 300,932 votes as against 270,960 in 2008, and the constituency will have a total 203 polling stations. Political parties including PPP, PML-N, PTI, JI, MQM, JUI-F, have fielded eight candidates while 15 are contesting as independent.
According to political pundits this time turnout would be much higher as compared with 2008 general elections. They said that over 20 candidates are running for the constituency and this large number of contestants is also likely to benefit PPP as majority of the other candidates belong to right wing or conservative parties, while the PPP is representing the liberal class or left wing.
PML-N has awarded ticket for NA-54 to the winner of 2008 general elections Malik Abrar Ahmed, PPP to Zamurad Khan, Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) to Rizwan Ahmed and PTI to Hina Manzoor, who are flexing their muscles for May 11 battle. According to analyst on NA 54 the real contest is expected between Malik Abrar of PML-N and Zamurad Khan of PPPP.
Zumurad Khan as compared with other PPPP contestants is a well known person with a good reputation not only within PPPP ranks but outside the party as well. In 2008 elections, PML-N candidate Malik Abrar was able to pull back NA 54 seat from PPP and Zamurad Khan was beaten by a heavy margin. Malik Abrar Ahmad bag 58,228 votes, Zamurad Khan PPP 33749 votes, Muhammad Basharat Raja PML-Q 10,400 votes and Allama Haider Alvi Sunni Tehreek 246 votes.
Talking to people from different walks of life, majority of them backed the PML-N candidate Malik Abrar. When asked about the reasons for supporting PML-N, they replied that the party has carried out several developmental projects in the area. Besides this, they said that only this party under the leadership of Nawaz Sharif can steer the country out of the numerous crises that it is confronted with.
PTI has awarded ticket for general election to Hina Manzoor, a new entrant and unknown face to many in the constituency, however party supporters claimed that PTI has emerged as a leading political party and the people would cast their vote in favour of Imran Khan and not to the nominated candidate. When asked from the PPP supporters about their wining chances, they argued that anti-PPP votes would be divided between PML-N and PTI, and they would be the ultimate beneficiary.
PPP supporters further claimed that Zamurad Khan is well known at local and national level due to his enhanced popularity while serving as Chairman of Pakistan Bait-ul-Maal. According to several people interviewed by Business Recorder as Bait-ul-Maal chairman, Zamurad Khan served orphans, widows and needy persons, providing them all kinds of support. The JI candidate, Rizwan Ahmed considered relatively weak in NA-54; however he is making a lot of effort. Rawalpindi NA-54 comprises PP-9 and PP-10 where a neck-and-neck competition is expected between PML-N candidates and the joint candidate of PPPP and PML-Q.
For PP-9, PML-N has awarded its ticket to Chaudhry Mohammad Ayyaz to contest against the joint candidate of PPP and PML-Q Raja Rizwan Saeed. Asif Mehmood of PTI and Basharat Gujjar of JI are also in the run for the general elections 2013 from the constituency on the provincial seat. Chaudhry Mohammad Ayyaz of PML-N had won from the constituency bagging 26,171 votes while Chaudhry Muhammad Waris Khan of PPP was the runner up with 12,243 votes in the general election 2008. Again, from PP-10, tough competition is expected between PML-N Malik Iftikhar and PPP and PML-Q joint candidate Mehboob Elahi while PTI has awarded its ticket to Omer Butt and JI to Abdul Jalil Naqshbandi. Election campaigns of all the contenders are in full swing and everyone is claiming that their victory is assured in the general election.
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