PESHAWAR: The general election slated for February 8 is going to witness tough competitions between brothers and close relatives running for national and provincial assembly seats in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Those, who have tossed their hats into the ring, included Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-Parliamentarians (PTIP) Chairman Pervez Khattak and his sons. They will face Liaqat Khattak, who is the younger brother of Pervez Khattak, for two provincial assembly seats in Nowshera. Liaqat Khattak is a former provincial minister.
Pervez Khattak, who was elected as Member National Assembly (MNA) on the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) ticket in 2018 general election, has fielded his two sons namely Ibrahim Khattak and Ismail Khattak for PK-85 and PK-86 Nowshera, respectively. He himself is running for NA-33 and PK-88 and PK-87 on his party ticket. His son-in-law and former MNA Dr Imran Khattak will contest for NA-34 and PK-89 in the upcoming polls.
The Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUIF) has put up Liaqat Khattak, who is former provincial minister and ex-district nazim Nowshera, for PK-87 from where he was elected Member Provincial Assembly (MPA) on the PTI ticket in 2018 general election.
A neck and neck contest is expected in this constituency. Liaqat Khattak’s son Ahad Khattak will compete against his uncle Pervez Khattak for PK-88 where Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN)’s Ikhtiar Wali Khan, Awami National Party (ANP)’s Jamshed Khan and PTI-backed Mian Mohammad Umar are considered strong candidates.
In Swabi, former PTI MNA Usman Khan Tarakai will face his nephew Shahram Tarakai, son of PTI Senator Liaqat Khan Tarakai, for NA-20 from where he was elected MNA in 2013 and 2018 general elections. The PTI has also awarded a ticket to Shahram Tarakai’s younger brother Faisal Tarakai for one provincial assembly constituency in Swabi where his main rivals will be the ANP and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) candidates.
Shahram Tarakai is unable to run his election campaign due to fear of being arrested, therefore, his father Senator Liaqat Tarakai has picked up the gauntlet to drum up support for his son.
In Kohat, though the two brothers Amjad Afridi and Abbas Afridi are not directly contesting against each other, the latter is a candidate of PMLN for NA-35 and PK-91 while the former is running for PK-90 from where he was elected thrice in independent capacity. They are the sons of PPP Senator Shamim Afridi.
In Mansehra, the Awami National Party (ANP) has awarded the ticket to former JUIF MPA Zarin Gul Khan for PK-41 Torghar while his younger brother former PTI MPA Zar Gul Khan will try his luck for NA-15 on PPP ticket.
Zarin Gul was elected MPA in the past but he developed differences with ANP leadership and joined the JUIF. He was elected MPA in the 2013 general election. His younger brother Zar Gul Khan was returned to the provincial assembly on the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid ticket in the 2002 general election. He was reelected as MPA on the PTI ticket in by-polls.
In Chitral, two brothers Shehzada Iftikharuddin and Shehzada Pervez are contesting the upcoming polls from different political platforms as the former will contest on the PMLN’s ticket for NA-1 while the latter will compete for PK-2 on PTIP’s ticket.
Over 3,000 lawyers cast their votes in the election for the PHCBA in Peshawar
Mohsin Naqvi has ordered reinforcing security protocols for foreign nationals residing in Islamabad
Sindh Wildlife Department said the peacocks died of viral Ranikhet disease
The estimated value of the drugs in the international market was said to be Rs1 billion
