Family politics still a dominant factor in KP

PESHAWAR: As in the past, family politics is still dominant in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as several political parties have awarded tickets to near and dear ones and influential families for the upcoming general elections.

Except for Jamaat-e-Islami, all leading political parties including Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUIF), Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PMLN), Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Parliamentarians (PTIP), Awami National Party (ANP) and Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) have fielded candidates from influential families or the scions of leadership of the respective parties.

According to the final list shared by the JUIF with the media, five candidates will contest for National Assembly as well as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly from the southern districts of the province.

JUIF central chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman will contest for NA-44 Dera Ismail Khan. His son Maulana Asad Rehman, also former federal minister, will contest for NA-43 Tank. Maulana Asajad Rehman, another son of the JUIF chief, is a candidate for NA-41 Lakki Marwat for Feb-08 general elections.

Two younger brothers of the JUIF chief, Maulana Lutfur Rehman and Maulana Ubaidur Rehman, will contest for provincial assembly seats from Dera Ismail Khan. Former chief minister Akram Khan Durrani was awarded tickets for two KP Assembly constituencies in Bannu district while his son and former deputy speaker of National Assembly Zaid Akram Durrani will contest for National Assembly in the Bannu district.

Likewise, former provincial minister Liaqat Khattak, brother of Pervez Khattak, and his son, Ahad Khattak, are the JUIF candidates for PK-87 and PK-88 in the Nowshera district. PTIP Chairman Pervez Khattak will contest for one National Assembly and two provincial assembly constituencies in his hometown of Nowshera. His two sons Ibrahim Khattak (a former MPA) and Ismail Khattak, are the party candidates for PK-85 and PK-86 in Nowshera.

The son-in-law and nephew of the PTIP chief, Dr Imran Khattak, will contest for NA-33 Nowshera and PK-89 in Nowshera on the party ticket.The PTI awarded tickets to its central general secretary Umar Ayub Khan for National Assembly seat in Haripur while his close relative Arshad Ayub and Akbar Ayub will vie for PK-47 and PK-46 in Haripur.

Similarly, provincial president of the PTI and former provincial minister Ali Amin Gandapur will contest for one National Assembly and two provincial assembly constituencies in Dera Ismail Khan. His brother Faisal Amin Gandapur is a candidate for the provincial assembly seat from the same district.

The Imran Khan-led party has also awarded tickets to former speaker of the National Assembly Asad Qaisar for National Assembly and his brother Aqibullah Khan for PK-50 in Swabi. In the same district, former provincial minister Shahram Khan Tarakai will contest on the PTI ticket for NA-20 Swabi while Faisal Khan Tarakai is the party candidate for PK-52 Swabi.

In the Charsadda district, the PTI awarded a ticket to former MNA Fazl Mohammad Khan for NA-25 while his nephew Hamza Naseer Khan got the ticket for PK-64 Charsadda.

The PMLN has awarded tickets to its provincial president Amir Muqam Khan for two National Assembly constituencies and one Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly in Swat and Shangla while his brother Dr Ibad will contest for provincial assembly seat in Shangla on the PMLN ticket.

Provincial spokesperson for the PMLN Ikhtiyar Wali Khan will contest for one National Assembly NA-33 Nowshera and PK-88 Nowshera while his brother Liaqat Wali is the party candidate for PK-85 Nowshera.

In the Khyber district, the PMLN has awarded a ticket to former MNA Shah Jee Gul Afridi for National Assembly while his son and nephew Bilawal Afridi and Shafiq Afridi will contest for two provincial assembly constituencies in Khyber district.

The PPP has awarded a ticket to former federal minister Arbab Alamgir Khan for National Assembly while his son Arbab Zarak Khan will be the party candidate for PK-80 in Peshawar while Asma Alamgir has been nominated for the reserved women seat for National Assembly.

Kiramatullah Chagharmati, a former speaker of the KP Assembly, and his nephew Razaullah Khan will also contest on the PPP ticket in Peshawar.

In the Swabi district, the PPP has awarded tickets to Usman Khan Tarakai for National Assembly and Biland Khan Tarakai for provincial assembly. There will be a tough contest among the Tarakai family in Swabi as they will face PTI candidate Shahram Tarakzai and Faisal Khan Tarakai.

Similarly, the PPP has awarded tickets to Faisal Karim Kundi for NA seat and his brother Ahmad Karim Kundi for PK-112 in Dera Ismail Khan district. Ihsan Miankhel and Qaisar Miankhel are also the PPP candidates for provincial assembly in the same district.

The ANP has awarded a ticket to former federal minister and its central leader Ghulam Ahmad Bilour for NA-32 Peshawar while Samar Haroon Bilour, former MPA and widow of Haroon Bilour, will contest on the ANP ticket against PK-83 Peshawar.

QWP Chairman Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao will contest for National Assembly seat NA-24 Charsadda while his son Sikandar Hayat Sherpao, a former provincial senior minister, will aspire for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly seats in Charsadda for the general elections.