Arbabs continue to dominate Peshawar politics

PESHAWAR: The Arbabs have won a number of positions in different tiers of the local government in the provincial capital and one of them, Arbab Mohammad Asim from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), has been elected the District Nazim.
The Arbabs of Peshawar have often been dominant in the politics of the city district. They belong to different villages in Peshawar district and are thus able to get elected from various places. The landowning Arbabs appear to be natural leaders due to their wealth and social influence.
Arbab Asim overtook the early favourite, Younas Zaheer, to get the PTI ticket to contest for the office of District Nazim Peshawar and win unopposed. He is the son of retired police officer Arbab Fateh from village Bahadur Killay located on the outskirts of Peshawar city. The family is related to the Jamaat-i-Islami leader and former MNA Shabbir Ahmad Khan.
Another Arbab who has secured an important position is Arbab Mohammad Ali, the son of the late PTI leader Arbab Dost Mohammad from Tehkal village. Arbab Mohammad Ali has been elected Nazim of Peshawar’s Town-3. This is the family of late Niaz Mohammad Arbab, who served as a minister. A scion of the family, Arbab Tariq, had served as mayor of Peshawar in the past.
Yet another Arbab who has achieved prominence in the local government in Peshawar is Arbab Kamal, who was elected Sunday as the Deputy Nazim of Peshawar Town-4. He belongs to the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islami-Fazl.
One of the most prominent Arbab families now led by Arbab Dr Alamgir Khan Khalil is affiliated to the PPP, but its fortunes have gone down like the party to which it belongs. It was dominating the politics of Peshawar and even the province as long as Arbab Alamgir’s father, Arbab Mohammad Jehangir Khan Khalil, was alive. Arbab Jehangir had served as chief minister of the province and also as federal minister even while moving from one party to another. However, Arbab Alamgir faced a crushing defeat in the May 2013 general election even though he and his wife, Asma Alamgir, held high positions in the PPP’s federal government after the 2008 polls. There are reports that the couple could face investigation of its assets by the National Accountability Bureau in future.