18,000 to contest for seats of NA, PAs: ECP

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Sunday released the final list of contesting candidates of the National Assembly (NA) and the four provincial assemblies on Form-33 for the keenly awaited February 8 general elections.

Though the ECP has already issued a code of conduct for the contesting candidates and political parties, it is to be seen to which extent it is adhered to, as with each passing day, the war of words among rivals is escalating.

Some prominent political figures, including ex-premier Imran Khan, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Asfandyar Wali are not in the run for different reasons. However, there are a number of constituencies where bitter and tough bouts are being anticipated.

After having been denied allotment of election symbol after its intra-party elections were found to be contrary to its own constitution and relevant laws, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has fielded its candidates as independents and each one of them has been allotted a different symbol.

Ex-prime minister and PMLN supremo Mian Nawaz Sharif has fielded himself from NA-15, Mansehra, and NA-130, Lahore, where he faces former provincial health minister and PTI-backed Dr Yasmeen Rashid. A tough contest is being anticipated between the two.

His brother and former prime minister and ex-chief minister Mian Shehbaz Sharif is contesting from NA-123, Kasur, and NA-132, Lahore. From the provincial capital, he faces veteran Liaquat Baloch of Jamaat-e-Islami.

Former president Asif Ali Zardari will be vying for NA-207 from native constituency of Shaheed Benazirabad. He faces PTI-backed Sher Muhammad Rind Baloch as an independent candidate.

His son and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari will contest from three NA constituencies, two from Sindh and one from Punjab’s NA-127, where he faces PMLN’s Attaullah Tarar. He will face competition in his native constituency Larkana NA-194 and Qambar Shahdadkot, NA-196, from JUI-Fazl’s Maulana Rashid Mahmood Soomro and incumbent Senator Saifullah Abro and Habibullah respectively, who are backed by PTI.

Former chief minister Hamza Shehbaz of PML-N from NA-118 will face Aliya Hamza as an independent candidate, backed by PTI. Maryam Nawaz is contesting from NA-119, where she will face an independent candidate Shahzad Farooq, who enjoys PTI support.

Likewise, ex-prime minister Senator Yusuf Raza Gilani will be contesting for a National Assembly seat from NA-148, Multan, where he faces independent Barrister Taimur Malik of PTI and Ahmad Hussain of PML-N.

In NA-151 Multan, Gilani’s son Ali Moosa Gilani will face Mehr Bano Qureshi, who is the daughter of senior PTI leader and former foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, whereas Jahangir Tarin of IPP and Amir Dogar of PTI will be face-to-face to for NA-149, Multan.

In NA-122, Lahore, Khawaja Saad Rafiq of PMLN is slated for a tough contest with senior lawyer Latif Khosa of PTI and in NA-128 Lahore Salman Akram Raja of PTI will have contest with IPP’s Muhammad Aun Saqlain.

Some other PMLN senior members, who will face resistance mainly from either independents fielded by PTI or PPP, are Rana Sanaullah, Ahsan Iqbal, Ayaz Sadiq, Khurram Dastagir and Abid Sher Ali.

Former chairman PTI Barrister Gohar Ali Khan is expected to have a smooth sailing from NA-10, Buner. PTI-backed Major Tahir Sadiq is contesting from NA-49, Attock, against ex-minister Sh. Aftab Ahmad of PML-N, whereas his daughter Eman Tahir has been fielded from NA-50, Attock.

Others who are in the electoral arena face rivals as independent candidates include former speaker NA Asad Qaiser from NA-19, Swabi and Ali Amin Gandapur from NA-44, where he faces a potential challenge from Maulana Fazlur Rehman, who heads the JUI-Fazl.

Some noted politicians and ex-ministers have switched sides and are contesting from different constituencies including Faisal Saleh Hayat and Mian Ghazanfar Gul.

Locally, tough poll bouts are in hand in Rawalpindi, involving former federal minister and Awami Muslim League Sheikh Rashid Ahmad and Muhammad Hanif Abbasi of PML-N in NA-56 and ex-minister Ch. Nisar Ali Khan, who is contesting as an independent candidate against his arch-rival Ghulam Sarwar of IPP in NA-54, whereas Azra Masood has been fielded as an independent contestant by PTI.

In NA-241 Karachi, Dr Farooq Sattar of MQM will face the challenge from Khurram Sher Zaman of PTI and in NA-242, Karachi, MQM’s Mustafa Kamal will face Khan Mandokhel of PPP and PTI’s Dawa Khan.

BNP-Mengal and Awami National Party and PTI-Parliamentarians are among other parties which have fielded candidates from different constituencies from the NA and provincial assembly constituencies.

There are nearly 18,000 candidates in the arena for the general seats of National Assembly and provincial legislatures.

Of these 17,816, there are 11,785 independents whereas 6,031 have affiliation with various political parties.