PESHAWAR: The politics of electricity transformers could play a role in the election results in PK-79 as some of the candidates have installed transformers in the localities where the voters are facing electricity problems.
During a visit to provincial assembly constituency PK-79, it was observed that voters in several areas have demanded provision of transformers in their area in the hope that this would solve the problem of power outages.
The villagers are also facing water shortage due to lack of electricity. Some candidates have installed transformers on the request of the voters.
A schoolteacher Shamshad in Ahmedkhel village said that during a corner meeting, the voters informed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate Fazal Elahi about the electricity problem.
He said the PTI candidate asked the villages to install the transformer and power pylons and send the bill to him. The schoolteacher said lack of electricity was the main problem in their area and the candidates were exploiting the issue to their advantage.
Another voter Abdul Mannan alias Manay in Utmanzai village said that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Raees Khan also got installed transformers in their village.
The man added that the poor voters did not know that installation of transformers could not resolve the electricity problem unless they start paying bills. He said that almost half of the power consumers were poor and could not pay the bills.
“The majority of the people in the area are either farmers or labourers and earn around Rs1, 000 a day if they get work,” he said, adding that with such meagre earning they could not pay bills and would continue stealing electricity.
One Sahibzada in Kaga Wala village told The News that he would vote for his favourite candidate but would not disclose the name as his entire clan is supporting the Awami National Party (ANP) nominee and they would not like him to vote for anyone else.
Some children gathered around the campaign vehicle of an independent candidate in Ahmedkhel village and asked for some pamphlets from the campaigners who shoved the children away. The angry children, when moving away, shouted, “Imran Khan is winning anyway, no matter what you do.”
Fourteen candidates are running for the polls in PK-79, including Fazal Elahi of the PTI, Raees Khan of the PML-N, Abdul Jabbar of ANP, Malik Naushad Khan of the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA), Ghulam Haider Khan of QWP, Umar Khitab of the PPP.
The All Pakistan Muslim League has fielded Wakeel Khan while Hujjatullah has got the ticket of the Tehreek Labbaik Pakistan. Syed Noorullah Shah is a candidate of the Tehreek Jawanan Pakistan.
Arbab Akbar Nawaz Khan, Khalil Ahmad, Shujaat Khan, Lal Zaman and a female candidate Surayya Shahab are contesting the election as independents.
Malik Naushad Khan was associated with ANP for a long time. He switched loyalty and got the MMA ticket for the polls after the ANP preferred Abdul Jabbar to him.
Abdul Jabbar, Shujaat Khan, Raees Khan, Malik Naushad Khan and Ghulam Haider Khan hail from the same Deh Bahadur village.
The total votes in the constituency are 113,386, including 44,846 women. A voter, Obaidur Rehman, said turnout has never reached 50 percent in the area. He said that even if 50 percent votes were polled, the winner would not be able to cross 10,000 votes.
