LAHORE:Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) has decided to field its stalwart and renowned singer Abrar ul Haq from Shahdara, Lahore whereas his brother Major (Retd) Israr ul Haq from the Narowal seat against PMLN's Ahsen Iqbal.
Abrar ul Haq has also started election campaign and also addressing rallies along with the two provincial assembly ticket holders under the NA 117, Lahore 1. This seat has never been won by PTI since it fielded its candidate from 1997. On the other hand, apart from 1970 and 1977 when SM Masood and Sher Muhammad Bhatti of PPP won from here, almost every time, a Muslim Leaguer or its ally has this seat that covers the areas including entire Shahdara, population living close to the Ravi bed and entire Badami Bagh, Siddiqia Colony, etc.
In 1985, in the non party basis elections, Pir Muhammad Ashraf won from here while defeating Khwaja Ahmed Tariq Rahim. In 1988, Pakistan Awami Ittehad's Gen (Retd) MH Ansari won this seat against PPP's Sheikh Rafique. Islami Jamhuri Ittehad or its main component Muslim League had not fielded any candidate which benefitted Gen Hafiz MH Ansari. In 1990 general elections, it was IJI's Humayyon Akhter Khan who won from here with a significant lead against PPP's Sheikh Rafique.
In the 1993 elections, PMLN founder and head Mian Nawaz Sharif fielded himself from here and won comfortably against PPP's Haji Aziz ur Rehman Chan. In the 1993 by polls, it was Nawaz Sharif's brother Mian Abbas Sharif who won after a close fight with the PPP candidate. In 1997, PMLN fielded Mian Azhar from here and he won with a big margin against PML-J's Mian Ahmed Mehmood. Between 1988 to 1997, this constituency was NA 92. In the 2002 elections, Hafiz Salman Butt, a candidate of Jamat e Islami backed by PMLN won this seat while defeating the then PMLQ's head Mian Azhar.
Hafiz Salman Butt contested the polls as an independent candidate as MMA had also fielded its candidate inform of Hafiz Abdul Wadood Shahid. It had become NA 118. In the 2008 elections, former PMLN MPA of 1997 Malik Riaz was fielded from this area and we won with a big margin. In 2013 and 2018 polls, PMLN's Malik Riaz won once again but at the second number were the PTI candidates.
PTI has now decided to field Abrar ul Haq from this seat and with the consent of party high command, he has also started campaign here. Even if the polls for National Assembly and Provincial Assembly are held after three to four months, a good fight is expected this time between PMLN and PTI. When contacted, Abrar ul Haq told The News that he was likely to contest from NA 117, Lahore whereas his brother Maj (Rtd) Israr ul Haq from Narowal. Abrar had contested two National Assembly polls, in 2013 and 2018 from Narowal but both times, PMLN's Ahsen Iqbal won.
