Tough contest between PML-N, PTI in PP-234

VEHARI: Electioneering in PP-234 (Vehari-VI), previously PP-237, is in full swing as all the contesting candidates have stepped up their campaigns.

A tough competition would be held between seven candidates of major groups and political parties. The constituency consists of Municipal committee Vehari and the Town Committee Karampur. The constituency is mainly based on the main city and adjacent areas. In this constituency, the candidate having the support of Arain bradari is winning for the past many general elections. Since 1972, the Arain family is ruling in this constituency. In 1972 and 1977 elections, Mian Khursheed Anwar Arain won the seat. Waqar Azeem Jimi of Arain family had won the 1988 elections. Chaudhry Tahir Iqbal of Arain bradari had also won twice in 2002 and 2008 while Mian Saqib Khursheed Arain had also won the elections from this constituency in 1993, 1996 and 2013. Nazar M Dugal could won only two times in 1985 and 1990 elections from this area.

In the upcoming elections, seven candidates of seven groups have made the competition very tough. Mian Saqib Khursheed Arain of PML-N belongs to the Tehmina Daultana group. Ch Zahid Iqbal Arain of PTI belongs to Ch Tahir Iqbal group. Independent Rana Fakhar Islam belongs to former minister of PML-N Naeem Akhtar Khan Bhaba and PML-N leader Saeed Ahmad Manais group. It is pertinent to mention here that Naeem Khan Bhabha and Saeed Khan Manais are supporting Rana Fakhar Islam, violating the policy of PML-N. These two personalities are interfering in the constituency only due to having personnel grievances with Tehmina Daultana. Tehmina Daultana supported Mian Saqib Khursheed for getting the ticket of PML-N from PP-234, as Naeem Khan Bhabha was also interested in contesting from the same constituency. Fourth strongest candidate from this constituency is M Afzal Khan Khichi, who belongs to Rana Sagheer Guddu group. The fifth strong candidate is independent Syed Agaz Hussain Shah who joined the group of former MNA Aftab Khan Khichi.