Tough contest expected on 3 NA, 8 PA seats in Mardan

MARDAN: Tough electoral battles are anticipated in Mardan district among various political parties in the three national and eight provincial constituencies.

The total registered voters in Mardan district stand at 1,538,078, including 696,382 females and 841,696 males. The election commissioner has designated 1,055 polling stations, comprising 353 male, 319 female, and 383 combined.

For the three National Assembly seats, 42 candidates, including two women, are vying for victory. Simultaneously, 105 candidates, including 3 women, are competing for eight provincial assembly seats. In NA-21-Mardan-1, 14 candidates, including 9 independents and female candidates, are in the fray.

Notably, a tough contest is expected between Asadullah Khan (PPP), Ahmed Ali (ANP), Azam Khan (JUIF), Mujahid Ali (PTI independent), Atta-ur-Rehman (JI), Muhammad Ghalib (PMML), and others.

In NA-22 Mardan-II, 17 candidates, including a TLP female candidate and 10 independents, are participating. The contest is expected to be intense between Ameer Haider Hoti (ANP), Syed Abid Ali Shah (PPP), Maulana Shujaul Mulak (RJUI), and Muhammad Atif Khan (PTI independent), among others.

For NA-23 Mardan-III, 11 candidates, including three independents, are in the race. Tough competition is anticipated between Ahmed Khan Bahadur (ANP), Ali Muhammad Khan (PTI independent), Shoaib Alam Khan (PPP), Jalal Khan Khattak (PMLN), and others.

On the provincial assembly seats, PK-54, Mardan-1, witnesses 11 candidates, with a tough contest expected between Gohar Ali Shah (ANP), Hafiz Akhtar Ali (JUIF), Zarshad Khan (PTI independent), Muhammad Aslam (PPP), and others.

Similarly, PK-55, Mardan-2, has 20 candidates, with a challenging contest expected between Syed Muhammad Sohail (ANP), Adnan Khan (JUI-F), Toufail Anjum (PTI independent), Tariq Saleem (PMLN), and others.

In PK-56, Mardan-III, 11 candidates are contesting, and close competition is predicted between Amir Farzand Khan (PTI independent), Obaidullah Khan (JUIF), Abdul Aziz (ANP), and others.

For PK-57, Mardan-4, 13 candidates are competing, with a tough battle expected between Ahmed Khan Bahadur (ANP), Maulana Amant Shah (JUIF), Umar Farooq Khan Hoti (PPP), Muhammad Zahir Shah (PTI independent), and others.

In PK-58, Mardan-5, nine candidates are participating, and a challenging contest is expected between Ameer Haidar Hoti (ANP), Abdus Salam Afridi (PTI independent), Taj-ul-Amin Jabal (JUIF), and others.

For PK-59, Mardan-6, 17 candidates are contesting, with a tough competition expected between Muhammad Haroon Khan (ANP), Tariq Mahmood Aryani (PTI independent), Aqil Khan (JUIF), and others.

In PK-60, Mardan-7, 16 candidates are in the race, with a tough contest expected between Sher Afghan Khan (ANP), Iftikhar Ali Mashwani (PTI independent), Mumtaz Khan (PMLN), and others.

For PK-61, Mardan-8, eight candidates are participating, and a challenging contest is expected between Jamshed Mohmand (PMLN), Maulana Muhammad Qasim (JUI-F), Ihtisham Ali (PTI independent), and others.

Political analysts predict fierce competition among ANP, JUIF, PMLN, PTI, and PPP candidates across the district while the ANP seems to be benefiting from the challenges faced by the PTI.