Sardar Awais Leghari gets an edge over PTI candidate

DERA GHAZI KHAN: At a time when the PTI has captured the majority of big guns of south Punjab, its selection of candidate for an important National Assembly constituency of Dera Ghazi Khan casts doubts over winning the polls as major part of this area is ruled by the Leghari group for the last 30 years with deep roots in the masses.

Zartaj Gul has been awarded a ticket by the PTI for NA-191 and she will face PML-N’s Sardar Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari.

Although, some of the influential personalities of the Leghari tribe have joined the PTI, including former MNA Sardar Muhammad Jafar Khan Leghari, former senator Sardar Mohsin Khan Leghari but Sardar Awais Khan Leghari is still with the PML-N despite the fact that his party is losing key members. The NA-191, which consists of municipal limits of Dera Ghazi Khan besides rural and tribal pockets of Tuman Leghari, Fort Munro, Sakhi Sarwar, Mamoori Khakhi Paigah and other rural areas, is considered to be the stronghold of Legharis.

Apart from that, Sardar Awais Leghari had paid full attention to his ministerial portfolio till last day.

Moreover, Tuman Leghari is the area where cent percent population of Leghari tribe is settled and in the tribal society, it is very hard for the general voters to support the contestant other than their tribe.

With partial amendment, the constituency is still remained the hub of former president late Sardar Farooq Ahmed Khan Leghari.

In last general elections, Hafiz Abdul Kareem was elected as MNA. A couple of months ago, he has been elected as a senator and being part of the PML-N, he will support Sardar Awais Leghari against PTI candidate Zartaj Gul. Gul has launched her election campaign in the urban locality by going door-to-door. A Master degree holder from the National College of Arts, Lahore, Gul had contested the last general elections from the old constituency of NA-172 against Hafiz Abdul Kareem but lost the contest with a margin of around 11,000 votes and now she has been awarded again with the PTI ticket.

The indifferent attitude of the PTI local office bearers would be an issue as some of the leading figures within the party are also annoyed over her nomination for the said seat. Similarly, the Khosa Group which has recently joined the PTI, leaving over 30 years long affiliation with the PML-N, has some reservations over the policy of awarding tickets and such situation may help Sardar Awais Leghari in alleviating his position.