Rawalpindi's NA-56 is braced for tough competition between Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)'s Major Tahir Sadiq (retd), who is contesting form two national assembly and one provincial assembly seat, and Malik Sohail Khan of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).
According to Election Commission of Pakistan, there are 638,937 registered voters including 335,872 males and 303,065 females in the constituency in which there will be a total of 576 polling stations including 138 for male voters, 132 for female voters and 306 for both male and female voters.
A total of seven candidates are contesting the seat including two independents Shehryar Khan and Ghulam Asghar. Others include Saleem Haider of Pakistan Peoples Party, Syed Faisal Mehmood Shah of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) and Mehram Khan of Pakistan Justice and Democratic Party (PJDP).
A strong fight is expected between two candidates - Sadiq of PTI and Malik Sohail of PML-N.
Sadiq was a part of PML-Q during General Pervez Musharraf regime and is a close relative of Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi. Sadiq is also contesting from a provincial assembly seat PP-3 on the PTI ticket.
Major Sadiq is popular and is a strong candidate from NA 56 though interviews with the constituents led to the conclusion that he may not be able to win from NA 55. And he is projected to win the provincial assembly seat from the district.
In 2013 elections, Sadiq did not himself stand for elections but canvassed for his relatives Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi and his son on two separate seats, both seats were won by PML-Q.
Major Sadiq canvassed on behalf of his daughter in Attock local government elections and succeeded in installing her as chairperson district council.
He was elected district Nazim Attock in 2001 and 2005 and later joined the then ruling party, Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) during General Musharraf's regime.
He joined PTI in November 2017. The PTI awarded him two tickets for National Assembly and one provincial assembly seats despite strong opposition by local party workers and leaders. Amin Aslam, one of the close aides of Imran Khan and runner up of 2013 elections, was denied the ticket in Attock.
Aslam and his group are now supporting Tahir Sadiq and locals say that he has emerged as a formidable candidate on at least one National Assembly and one provincial assembly seat in the district.
Malik Sohail who left the PTI just a month before the election succeeded in getting a ticket of National Assembly from Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and is believed to be a strong candidate too.
Sohail has his own political following in the constituency and enjoys support of some major families in the constituency. In 2013 elections, he unsuccessfully contested a National Assembly seat from PTI ticket and secured 60,284 votes.
The locals said that TLP candidate Syed Faisal Mehmood Shah may come in third position as he is supported by the religious vote bank. Attock is also hometown of TLP chief Khadim Rizvi, therefore it is expected that people may also vote for him.
Saleem Haider of Pakistan Peoples Party won 2008 elections and was appointed as state minister for defence. The locals, however, said that his position in this election is weak as compared to the PTI and PML-N candidates.
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