ANP extends date for receiving applications

MARDAN: Former chief minister Ameer Haider Hoti would contest the upcoming general election from National Assembly constituency NA-9 Mardan-1 and provincial assembly constituency PK-23 Mardan-1, party sources said.

The sources added that Awami National Party (ANP) leadership had decided to name candidates for some constituencies in the district.

Majority of potential candidates have submitted applications at the party’s provincial secretariat Bacha Khan Markaz in Peshawar. 

The ANP extended till September 15 the date for submission of applications for getting party tickets for contesting the upcoming election.

Ameer Haider Hoti would contest election for two constituencies i.e. NA-9 Mardan-1 and PK-23-Mardan-1. He also contested the 2013 general election from these constituencies and won both the seats. He later vacated PK-23 and retained NA-9.

The sources added if the ANP succeeded in winning maximum number of seats of the provincial assembly, Ameer Haider Hoti may vacate the National Assembly seat as he could be a potential candidate for the office of the chief minister.

However, if the party failed to gain majority in the provincial assembly, he will vacate the provincial assembly seat. 

Former federal minister Khwaja Mohammad Khan Hoti and Haider Hoti have reportedly decided not to contest election against each other, the sources said. Due to this reason Khwaja Hoti would run for NA-11 Mardan-3 instead of NA-9.

The sources in the ANP said that Mian Tahir was the expected candidate for NA-10 Mardan-2 and Mohammad Jamal Bacha was a potential nominee for NA-11 Mardan-3. 

Ali Khan, son of former federal minister Haji Yaqoob Khan, would contest election for PK-24 Mardan-2, the sources said, adding that Member Provincial Assembly Ahmed Khan Bahadur and District Nazim Himayatullah Mayar want to contest the upcoming election from PK-25-Mardan-3.

Ahmed Khan Bahadur won PK -24 in the 2008 general election but in the 2013 election the party allotted ticket of this seat to Ali Khan, who was defeated.

Later, Ahmed Khan Bahadur contested by-election for PK-23 vacated by Haider Hoti after the 2013 general election and won the seat.

Ahmed Khan Bahadur is expected to contest the next election from PK-25 Mardan-3.

Nawabzada Sher Afgan Khan and Malik Ijaz want to stand for PK-26-Mardan-4 in the next election on ANP ticket. However, the sources added that Sher Afgan Khan recently joined the party even though he won this seat in the 2009 election on PPP ticket. 

On PK-27-Mardan-5, Nasir Khan, son of former MPA Bahadur Khan, Malik Aman and Aftab Ahmed Khan have submitted applications for the ANP ticket, the sources said. Nasir Khan and Malik Aman were favourite candidates for this seat.

On PK-28-Mardan-6, Farooq Akram Khan, son of late lawmaker Babu Akram, and MPA Gohar Shah Bacha want to contest election on party ticket.

Gohar Bacha won this seat in the 2013 election. Sources added that he was expected to get the ticket for this seat.

On PK 29-Mardan-7, Suhail Bacha, Ishaq Khan, Shah Roah, Shaukat Hameed Khattak, Gul Nawaz Khan and Bin Yameen want to contest election for this seat.

Sources added that Gul Nawaz Khan was the expected candidate for this seat.

Gul Nawaz Khan joined the party recently while his nephew Ibrahim Biland will also contest election for this seat on JI ticket and this expected contest has divided their family.