PESHAWAR: The decision of various political parties to contest the by-election for the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly constituency PK-8 without entering into an alliance has led to enhanced political activities in the provincial capital.
Such is the enthusiasm among the candidates that as many as 37 have filed nomination papers for the by-poll on May 12. Most are independents, but all the political parties are also in the fray. The field is crowded and, therefore, the context will be tight and the margin of victory not very high.
The joint opposition, comprising Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Awami National Party (ANP) and Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), had earlier formed a tri-partite alliance and contested the local government elections to face the ruling coalition of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) and Qaumi Watan Party (QWP).
However, both the opposition and ruling parties have announced their candidates without even properly consulting each other this time. Though these parties may make an electoral alliance at a later stage before the polling day, right now their alliances have fallen apart.
The PPP and JUI-F have nominated former MPAs Malik Tehmash Khan and Asif Iqbal Daudzai, respectively, as their candidates. The ANP candidates have already filed nominations, but a parliamentary committee of the party will decide the ticket-holder. The ANP lagged behind other parties in this rural Peshawar constituency in the 2008 and 2013 general election and it would have to do a lot more to become a serious contender for the seat.
The central and provincial leaders of the major parties have announced the candidates and directed workers to concentrate on the success of their nominees.
The JI and QWP have also nominated candidates after scrutinising names within their respective parties’ committees. The JI has fielded Fazlullah even though it didn’t do well in previous polls.
The PTI would select one candidate out of the total six applicants who have filed nomination papers. Sources in the party said some of the candidates have decided to contest the by-poll in independent capacity if the party did not award them the ticket.
Keeping in view the previous election results, every party wants to check their vote bank in PK-8 midway through the five-year term of the present government. Becoming part of an electoral alliance won’t give them a clear idea of the support the party has among the voters.
The seat fell vacant after the death of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) MPA Arbab Akbar Hayat Khan. His son-in-law Arbab Waseem has been given the party ticket for contesting the by-election. The PML-N earlier tried to pursue other parties not to field their candidates against its candidate, but its efforts were all in vain.
Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), which claimed that the deceased MPA was the PML-Q worker before joining the PML-N, has awarded ticket to his cousin, Arbab Mir Afzal.
The PPP, ANP, JUI-F, PTI, JI, QWP, PML-Q and independent candidates have started holding corner meetings on regular basis.