PTI’s Gillani to face strong rivals in NA-55
April 18, 2013
Rawalpindi
The leadership of Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf led by Chairman Imran Khan has fielded Shahid Gillani as its candidate for NA-54 against strong political rivals like Malik Abrar of PML-N and Zamurrud Khan of PPP in the May general elections this year.
Shahid Gillani had fought 2002 general elections from PP-9 on Jamaat-e-Islami ticket and had lost elections from this constituency. Since then, Shahid Gillani remained inactive in politics of Rawalpindi Cantonment but had been doing social works particularly in the field of education for its promotion. For this purpose, he opened number of commerce and law colleges in Rawalpindi Cantonment and city areas. He is well known in educational circle.
Sensing the emergence of PTI at high profile over the last one year, Shahid Gillani joined the party and has also finally succeeded to get ticket from NA-54. However, one openly feels and even believes that all his works for the promotion of education in Rawalpindi and the name of Imran Khan would not help him to win seat for PTI particularly in presence of heavyweight politicians like Malik Abrar and seasoned Zamurrud Khan ex-chairman of Bait-ul-Maal during the previous PPP government.
Chances of Shahid Gillani’s victory are bleak because the PML-N candidate, ex-MNA Malik Abrar, still holds strong position among the books of the citizens belonging to his constituency. The main factor is that the ex-MNA during his four-year tenure has delivered the basic services in his constituency as required by its people. Through the Punjab government led by Shahbaz Sharif Malik Abrar had been able to allocate billions of rupees to the civic bodies like RCB for carrying out mega developmental and beautification projects in his constituency. This has been rightly acknowledged by senior officials of the civic body. On this basis, he holds clean edge over his political rivals in the run for NA-54 seat.
The PPP fielded candidate Zamurrud Khan is not new to any one particularly in Rawalpindi politics. Though he lost to Malik Abrar in 2008 elections, in the present contest for NA-54 seat his position seems much better. As his PPP-led government assigned the task of Bait-ul-Maal, Zamurrud Khan left no stone unturned to regain support of people which he lost during previous elections. According to his party workers and officials of Bait-ul-Maal, over 4 lakh widows, poor, orphans and needy people were provided all kind of financial and other assistances over the last five years keeping aside political affiliations on one side. Moreover, the deserving citizens belonging to PML-N and belonging to his constituency benefited largely during his tenure as chairman of Bait-ul-Maal. This managed the PPP leader to consolidate his position among the people of this constituency thus posing a threat to PML-N leader Malik Abrar in the up coming polls. What makes him uncomfortable at present is indeed one real factor that is poor show of his PPP government over the last five years. It would certainly create large negative impact on the chances of his victory. If he doesn’t admit the fact openly but at inner side knows better that the people of the four provinces are highly fed up with PPP’s performance and anti-people policies. Severe gas and power loadshedding, closure of CNG stations, terrorist acts, corruption, unprecedented price hike, massive killings of innocent people in Sindh and Balochistan had remained rampant during the rule of PPP and its allies would become a telling factor for him if he suffers defeat in the general elections.
The leadership of Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf led by Chairman Imran Khan has fielded Shahid Gillani as its candidate for NA-54 against strong political rivals like Malik Abrar of PML-N and Zamurrud Khan of PPP in the May general elections this year.
Shahid Gillani had fought 2002 general elections from PP-9 on Jamaat-e-Islami ticket and had lost elections from this constituency. Since then, Shahid Gillani remained inactive in politics of Rawalpindi Cantonment but had been doing social works particularly in the field of education for its promotion. For this purpose, he opened number of commerce and law colleges in Rawalpindi Cantonment and city areas. He is well known in educational circle.
Sensing the emergence of PTI at high profile over the last one year, Shahid Gillani joined the party and has also finally succeeded to get ticket from NA-54. However, one openly feels and even believes that all his works for the promotion of education in Rawalpindi and the name of Imran Khan would not help him to win seat for PTI particularly in presence of heavyweight politicians like Malik Abrar and seasoned Zamurrud Khan ex-chairman of Bait-ul-Maal during the previous PPP government.
Chances of Shahid Gillani’s victory are bleak because the PML-N candidate, ex-MNA Malik Abrar, still holds strong position among the books of the citizens belonging to his constituency. The main factor is that the ex-MNA during his four-year tenure has delivered the basic services in his constituency as required by its people. Through the Punjab government led by Shahbaz Sharif Malik Abrar had been able to allocate billions of rupees to the civic bodies like RCB for carrying out mega developmental and beautification projects in his constituency. This has been rightly acknowledged by senior officials of the civic body. On this basis, he holds clean edge over his political rivals in the run for NA-54 seat.
The PPP fielded candidate Zamurrud Khan is not new to any one particularly in Rawalpindi politics. Though he lost to Malik Abrar in 2008 elections, in the present contest for NA-54 seat his position seems much better. As his PPP-led government assigned the task of Bait-ul-Maal, Zamurrud Khan left no stone unturned to regain support of people which he lost during previous elections. According to his party workers and officials of Bait-ul-Maal, over 4 lakh widows, poor, orphans and needy people were provided all kind of financial and other assistances over the last five years keeping aside political affiliations on one side. Moreover, the deserving citizens belonging to PML-N and belonging to his constituency benefited largely during his tenure as chairman of Bait-ul-Maal. This managed the PPP leader to consolidate his position among the people of this constituency thus posing a threat to PML-N leader Malik Abrar in the up coming polls. What makes him uncomfortable at present is indeed one real factor that is poor show of his PPP government over the last five years. It would certainly create large negative impact on the chances of his victory. If he doesn’t admit the fact openly but at inner side knows better that the people of the four provinces are highly fed up with PPP’s performance and anti-people policies. Severe gas and power loadshedding, closure of CNG stations, terrorist acts, corruption, unprecedented price hike, massive killings of innocent people in Sindh and Balochistan had remained rampant during the rule of PPP and its allies would become a telling factor for him if he suffers defeat in the general elections.
