13 candidates in the running for NA-33 Hangu

PESHAWAR: As many as 13 candidates, including nine independents, are contesting election in NA-33 Hangu where a tough contest is expected between the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA).

Former Member National Assembly (MNA) Khyal Zaman of the PTI and Atiqur Rehman of the MMA are considered favourite candidates.

Ulfat Hussain is the candidate of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Awami National Party (ANP) has fielded Syed Haider Ali Khan.

The independent candidates included Akhtar Munir Bangash, Taj Muhammad, Hussain Jalali, Khaliqur Rehman, Rangin Khan, Sultan Akbar, Arif Hussain, Muhammad Imran and Malik Riaz Bangash.

Though no independent has officially withdrawn nomination papers, local journalists said that Malik Riaz Bangash, Hussain Jalali and Khaliqur Rehman did not carry out election campaign.

The seat was won by different political parties and independent candidates in past elections. The real contest is expected between former Member Provincial Assembly (MPA) Khaliqur Rehman and former PTI MNA Khyal Zaman.

Rangin Khan is also considered a strong contender. Khaliqur Rehman is the son of former provincial minister Ghaniur Rehman, who was killed in a bomb blast in Hangu in January 2010.

Ghaniur Rehman was serving as district nazim when he was killed. The Hangu-based journalists said that Khaliqur Rehman had an edge over Khyal Zaman as the latter did not carry out any development work in the past five years and the people were not happy with him.

However, Khyal Zaman is still considered a strong candidate as the PTI has a solid vote-bank in the constituency. The NA-33 has 275, 947 registered voters, including 115, 650 women. A total of 180 polling stations have been set up in the constituency.