No party could keep grip on Peshawar for long

PESHAWAR: No political party could keep a strong grip on the provincial capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for long as Peshawarites tried different political parties and individuals over the last few decades.

This time the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) will be trying to retain its grip on the city and district after having swept the polls in 2013 by winning all four National Assembly and 10 provincial assembly seats. Tough competition is expected on five national and 14 provincial assembly constituencies in Peshawar. Almost all the major political parties including PTI, Awami National Party (ANP), Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) have fielded their top candidates for the national and provincial assembly seats in Peshawar.

Peshawar has got one additional National Assembly seat and three more provincial assembly seats compared to 2013. The provincial capital always remained in the news in every election because the serial number of National Assembly constituencies started from here. This is for the first time that the National Assembly seat in Chitral has been declared NA-1. In the last general election, PTI won all the National Assembly seats in Peshawar. PTI chief Imran Khan was elected MNA from NA-1 defeating ANP stalwart Ghulam Ahmad Bilour, Hamidul Haq was elected from NA-2 beating Maulana Saeed Jan and Arbab Najibullah. Sajid Nawaz of PTI was elected MNA from NA-3 defeating Haji Ghulam Ali and Iqbal Zafar Jhagra, now the governor of the province, while Gulzar Khan was elected MNA after winning against Nasir Musazai, Sabir Hussain Awan and Arbab Kamal Ahmad.

Ghulam Bilour of ANP, however, staged a comeback and won NA-1 from PTI’s Gul Badshah when it was vacated by Imran Khan. PTI’s Arbab Amir Ayub won NA-4 in the by-polls after Gulzar Khan died last year. In 2008, Ghulam Bilour was elected from NA-1, Arbab Alamgir Khalil of PPP from NA-2, Noor Alam Khan of PPP from NA-3 and Arbab Zahir of ANP from NA-4. The ANP-PPP alliance also ruled the province from 2008-2013. The MMA had swept the 2002 general election by winning all the four national assembly seats in Peshawar. Shabbir Ahmad Khan was elected from NA-1, Maulana Rahmatullah from NA-2, Qari Fayyaz from NA-3 and Sabir Hussain Awan from NA-4. MMA formed its government in KP and ruled for five years. From 1988 to 1997, PPP and ANP dominated Peshawar. Ghulam Bilour, late Arbab Jehangir Khan Khalil and Arbab Saadullah were elected MNAs from Peshawar in 1997. Earlier in 1993, Syed Zafar Ali Shah, Arbab Jehangir and Arbab Mohammad Zahir were elected to the lower house of parliament from the city. Ghulam Bilour defeated Benazir Bhutto on NA-1 in 1990. Arbab Zahir was elected from NA-3. In 1988, Aftab Ahmad Sherpao defeated Ghulam Bilour on NA-1. However, he vacated the seat after becoming the chief minister. Ghulam Bilour won the seat for the first time in by-polls after it was vacated by Aftab Sherpao. PPP’s Khan Bahadur Khan and Sardar Ali Khan were the other MNAs from Peshawar, which also included parts of Nowshera. Younis Ilahi Sethi and Salem Khan Khalil were elected from Peshawar in the partyless 1985 election. The latter trounced Niaz Mohammad Arbab, a powerful landlord of Peshawar.

For the July 25 election, 42 candidates are contesting for five National Assembly seats in the provincial metropolis. Also, 176 candidates are in the run for 14 provincial assembly seats in Peshawar. Many candidates, including first-timers, are facing tough challenge after the delimitation of the constituencies. Ghulam Bilour, former Town-1 Nazim Shaukat Ali from PTI, Mohammad Siddiqur Rehman Paracha from MMA, Akhunzada Irfanullah Shah from PPP, Muhammad Nadeem from PML-N, Aurangzeb Khan from All Pakistan Muslim League, Gul Rehman from Pasban Pakistan, Yasmeen from Tehrik-e-Labbaik Pakistan, Noor Hussain from Aman Taraqi Party and four independent candidates, Ilyas Ahmad Bilour, Roohullah, Shaukat Ali and Muhammad Saqqaf Yasir are trying their luck on NA-31 this time. Eight candidates are going to contest for NA-30 including Arbab Alamgir Khan from PPP, Arbab Najeebullah from MMA, Sher Ali Arbab from PTI, Muhammad Alamgir Khalil from ANP, Muhammad Junaid from PML-N, Noor Wali Khan from Pakistan Justice and Democratic Party, Malik Haider Khan from Pakistan Muslim League and independent candidate Muhammad Shaukat Khurshid. Five candidates are in the run for NA-29. They are Ameer Muqam from PML-N, Arbab Kamal Ahmad from ANP, Nasir Khan Musazai from PTI, Naeem Jan from MMA and Muhammad Shafiq from Tehrik-e-Labbaik Pakistan. Ten candidates are flexing muscles against each other on NA-27. Among them are former advisor to prime minister, Asma Alamgir from PPP, former MPA Sobia Shahid of PML-N, Tahir Nadeem from ANP, Haji Ghulam Ali from MMA, Noor Alam Khan from PTI, Amjad Ali from QWP, and four independents including Sidra Faheem, Shakil Abid, Faqir Muhammad and Naveed Ali. For NA-28, six candidates are in the run. They are Arbab Amir Ayub from PTI, Shafi Akbar of ANP, Sabir Hussain Awan from MMA, Muhammad Intikhab Khan of PML-N, Ikramullah from Tehrik-e-Labbaik Pakistan and independent candidate Muhammad Daud Khan Burki.