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WEEKLY
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| Voters being influenced by Wajahat Force in Gujrat |
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Monday, January 14, 2008
By Dilshad Azeem
ISLAMABAD: Life for voters in the heavyweight constituency of NA-104 Gujrat, is turning out to be a nightmare, as influence, terror and use of money for voting purposes have become the order of the day.
The Chaudhry brothers, Ch Shujaat Hussain and Ch Wajahat Hussain, are facing a tough challenge in that particular constituency as well as NA-105 in the wake of the Benazir Bhutto’s assassination that has spurred a countrywide wave against the pro-government parties.
Election in NA-104, therefore, presents a true picture of power politics with virtually terrified voters and massive use of financial resources, leaving them with little choice to dissent. Besides “funding” on part of the local traders, the pro-government PML has allegedly allocated major chunk of the party funds for Gujrat, particularly where the two Chaudhry brothers, Wajahat and Shujat Hussain, are contesting.
Despite postponement of elections till Feb 18 and the situation emerging in the aftermath of Benazir Bhutto assassination, a sense of terror prevails among the rural areas and, as a result, they hesitate to express their political affiliations except those with the Chaudhrys.
The rural areas of that particular constituency, NA-104 from where Chaudhry Wajahat Hussain is contesting, mourned the martyrdom of Benazir Bhutto in a manner comparable only to Sindhi supporters of PPP in Larkana. “But the people at large are really terrified under the influence of the Chaudhrys though they want an atmosphere of exercising their right freely,” said an elderly person, who did not even wish to be named.
Gujrat-II, NA-105 is the urban constituency where Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain is said to be in a neck-to-neck competition with PPP and the PML-N contestants. Here the influence of the Chaudhry clan is slightly less, though official machinery can be made to make a difference on the polling day.
ìWhat we have learnt is that the PML-Q has allocated a huge amount for advertisement of its candidates in Gujranwala Division alone and the budget may be even more than this (Rs1.5 billion) since the elections have been delayed,” a local disclosed.
The situation in the rural and urban areas is a contrast with PPP candidate Ch Ahmed Mukhtar of Servis Group of Industry reciprocates the Chaudhrys in the same fashion but the PPP and the PML-N candidates in the rural constituency are hardly carrying on their electioneering campaign.
“Distribution of high-priced vehicles, motorcycles at the town and village level, display of banners and placards and threats to the locals are the common features.” A force has been established in the name of Chaudhry Wajhat Hussain to carry on electioneering and counter the candidates and the voters of the rest of the contesting parties and aspirants.
The NA-104 is one of the four constituencies of District Gujrat, the hometown of the Chaudhrys of Gujrat, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, Chaudhry Wajahat Hussain and Chaudhry Pervez Elahi. “Oil and petrol from the petrol pumps is free for the vehicles under this force,” the villagers said.
The situation in the urban areas is different from the rural areas as Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar at NA-105 and Qamar-uz-Zamman Qaira NA-106 (Lalamusa) are responding to the Wajahat Force in a matching manner. “But no one is here to counter them in the rural areas that fall under NA-104.”
An eyewitness account provides that the Wajhat Force not only exists but there are slogans written on the walls of the areas wherein Ch Wajhat Hussain is declared as its “Commander”.“Will anybody dare be polling agent of the opponents particularly in the rural areas of this constituency?” what one of the shopkeepers at Bhagowal village said when inquired how the rigging could be done in presence of polling agents of each candidate at every polling station. He said that there were many villages wherein the Wajhat Force did not allow the opposing candidates to hold public meetings.
“We are terrified since the display of arms has become a routine and terror may be more than what we listen about Karachi.” “We do not think if there will be any polling agent of the other parties in some villages’ polling stations,” was the response by one of them when asked.
However, the PML-Q Secretary Information Tariq Azeem, when ‘The News’ contacted him, not only expressed indifference to the existence of Wajahat Force but also denied having formed any such contingent in any part of the country.
“When a person carries out massive development works in his constituency, obviously the people develop with him emotional attachment and expect more.” The PML-Q secretary information asserted that Chaudhry Wajahat had been engaged in working for the benefit of his constituency from where he was elected in 2002. “This is his hometown constituency therefore the people of that area respect them (Chaudhrys) for their performance.”
Tariq Azeem further said that as far as running the election campaign was concerned, the central office from Islamabad issued relevant material such as banners, posters, party flags etc to the candidates in their respective constituencies.
“Like at other candidates, Chaudhry Wajahat may have local supporters performing their duties during the electioneering but the party has nothing to do with the Wajahat Force,” he said.
Kula Chor, Islam Garh, Baghowal, Jalalpur Jattan, Chakmala, Karanwala, Moinuddinpur, Headmarala, Tandamota and Shahbazpur are amongst the few villages heavily influenced in that constituency.
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ISSN 1563-9479 
