Many family members of ex-CMs contesting KP polls

PESHAWAR: Several family members of some of the former chief ministers of the province are in the run for national and provincial assembly seats in the upcoming general elections.

As many as six of those contesting the polls are struggling to regain their political strength while others are in a bid to increase the number of parliamentarians in the family. Six former CMs Pervez Khattak, Akram Khan Durrani, Aftab Sherpao, Mahmood Khan, Ameer Haider Hoti, and Sardar Mahtab Ahmad Khan are contesting polls

Two former chief ministers and the son of another one are now leading their political parties and have allotted several tickets within the families. The former chief minister of the province and chief of his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Parliamentarians (PTIP) Pervez Khattak is contesting for one seat in the National Assembly and two seats in the KP Assembly from his home district of Nowshera. His two sons, Ibrahim Khattak and Ismail Khattak, are PTIP candidates for provincial assembly seats while his son-in-law, Imran Khattak, is in the run for one NA and one provincial assembly seat. One of his sons is an incumbent tehsil nazim in Nowshera. Interestingly, Liaqat Khattak, a brother of Pervez, and his son Ahad Khattak are candidates for provincial assembly seats from Nowshera on the ticket of rival Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl against the former chief minister.

In the southern districts, the son of former chief minister Mufti Mahmood and chief of JUIF, Maulana Fazlur Rehman is contesting for NA-44 in Dera Ismail Khan. Fazlur Rehman's son, Maulana Asad Mahmood, is in the run for NA-43 Tank while another son the JUIF chief, Asjad Mahmood, is a candidate for NA-41 Lakki Marwat. Besides, two brothers of the JUIF amir, Maulana Lutfur Rehman and Ubaidur Rehman, are contenders for provincial assembly seats from DI Khan. Another brother of Maulana is a senator and provincial chief of the party.

Another former chief minister Akram Khan Durrani is the JUIF candidate for two provincial assembly slots in Bannu. One of his sons, Zahid Akram Durrani, former deputy speaker of the NA, is running for a National Assembly seat.

In the provincial capital, the Pakistan People's Party has awarded a ticket to former federal minister Arbab Alamgir Khan for NA-31. His son Arbab Zarak Khan is a candidate for PK-80, Peshawar while his spouse Asma Alamgir is a contender for a reserved women's seat for NA. Arbab Alamgir is the son of former chief minister Arbab Jahangir Khan, probably the only politician from KP who remained unbeatable throughout his 32-year political career.

A two-time former chief minister and chief of Qaumi Watan Party Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao is a candidate for the NA-24 seat while his son Sikandar Hayat Sherpao is a contender for the PK-62 seat in his hometown of Charsadda. There is no immediate family member of the former chief minister. Yet another former chief minister and senior vice president of the Awami National Party Ameer Haider Hoti is also contesting polls from Mardan. Ameer Haider Hoti is a nephew of ANP chief Asfandyar Wali Khan and a cousin of Aimal Wali Khan, who is in the run for the NA seat in Charsadda. Former chief minister and leader of PTIP Mahmood Khan is contesting polls from Swat. Ameer Haider Hoti

Also, a former chief minister and governor of KP Sardar Mahtab Ahmad Khan is an independent candidate for a national and a provincial assembly seat from the Abbottabad district of the Hazara Division.