53 candidates flex muscles in Chakwal district

CHAKWAL: The electioneering has gained momentum for two national and four provincial assembly seats in district Chakwal.

The major contest will be held between the PTI and the PML-N candidates while PPP and MMA have also fielded their candidates.

At least 53 candidates from different parties are contesting the elections. The district returning officer and local administration have declared 74 polling stations sensitive and special security arrangements would be made at these polling stations. Sardar Zulfiqar Ali khan Dulha of PTI is facing PML-N candidate Major (retd) Tahir Iqbal at NA-64. Main contestant Sardar Ghulam Abbas of PTI went out of the election race after the Supreme Court had rejected his nomination papers over his failure to present the full details of his assets.

Sardar Abbas also announced the support of PTI candidates which may give an edge to them over the PML-N. Sultan Haider Ali of PML-N will face PTI’s Raja Yasir Sarfraz and very close contest is expected on this seat. Malik Tanveer Aslam Sethi of PML-N is contesting against Raja Tariq Afzal Kallas of PTI. PPP’s Raja Rizwan Dandot is also in the field. In NA-65 constituency, Ch Pervez Elahi of PML-Q, who also enjoys the support of PTI, is facing Sardar Faiz Tamman of PML-N. Sardar Mumtaz Tamman, former MNA of PML-N, was denied the ticket therefore, he is supporting Ch Pervez Elahi. Sardar Mansoor Tamman, who was denied the PTI ticket, is contesting as an independent candidate. Sardar Aftab Akbar of PTI is facing Col (retd) Mushtaq Ahmed Awan of PML-N. When the nomination papers of Sardar Ghulam Abbas were rejected, Sardar Zulfiqar Ali Khan returned the PML-N ticket and took the PTI ticket at NA-64. PML-Q’s Hafiz Ammar Yasir, who also has the backing of PTI, is contesting against Sheharyar Awan of PML-N at PP-24.

The election campaign has entered into its decisive stage but so far, 1.5 million people of Chakwal district have showed little interest in the general elections. No major leader of PTI and PML-N has planned to address big public meetings in the district.

The arrest of Mian Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz would give a sympathy vote to PML-N candidates.

In past, Chakwal district was considered to be a stronghold of the PML-N.