PESHAWAR (APP): Like the previous general elections, the politically fertile Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has again attracted over 25 heavyweights of various political and religious parties, who would contest election 2024 in the province.
According to Election Commission of Pakistan, besides others stalwarts, PMLN Quaid, Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and Shahzada Ghustasip Khan are contesting election 2024 from NA-15 Mansehra. PMLN KP President, Engr Amir Muqam filed nomination papers from two national assembly and one provincial seats including his home district Shangla and Swat.
Chief of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F), Maulana Fazlur Rehman is trying luck in his home district ie NA-44 Dera Ismail Khan where he will face Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Faisal Karim Kundi and former Federal Minister Ali Amin Gandapur.
PTI leader Ali Amin Gandapur is contesting election as independent candidate after Supreme Court upheld Election Commission of Pakistan’s decision regarding revoking ‘bat’ symbol of PTI on the controversial intra- party election.
Gandapur had won 2018 election from the same constituency, while PPP’s Faisal Karim Kundi and Maulana Fazlur Rehman was also elected to the national assembly from the same constituency in the past elections.
PTI has awarded tickets to central chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan for NA-10 Buner, central general secretary Umar Ayub Khan for NA-18 Haripur, former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaisar Khan for NA-19 Swabi, and Sher Afzal Marwat for NA-41 Lakki Marwat, who were contesting election as independent candidates after SC verdict.
ANP’s central senior vice president and former Chief Minister Ameer Haider Hoti will contest for NA-22 Mardan, ANP central general secretary Mian Iftikhar Hussain for PK-89 in Nowshera, and senior leader Ghulam Ahmad Bilour for NA-32 in Peshawar.
ANP provincial president Aimal Wali Khan will contest for NA-25 in Charssadda, while provincial general secretary of the party Sardar Hussain Babak for PK-27 Buner.
PPP awarded tickets to its provincial president Najmuddin Khan for NA-5 Upper Dir, Anwar Saifullah Khan for NA-43 Tank, and Faisal Karim Kundi for NA-44, D I Khan.
Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) central amir and former senator Sirajul Haq will contest the election for the National Assembly from his native town Dir, while the provincial amir of the party, Prof Ibrahim, will try luck from PK-102 Bannu, and former senior provincial minister Inayatullah Khan for PK-13, Upper Dir.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-Parliamentarian (PTI-P) Chairman and former chief minister Pervez Khattak will contest from NA-33 and PK-88 from his native district Nowshera, where he was elected to the national and provincial assemblies on the PTI tickets twice in 2013 and 2018 election.
On NA33 Nowshera-1, tough electoral battle is expected among Pervez Khattak, Pakistan Muslim League-N Khyber Pakthunkhwa Information Secretary and former member provincial assembly, Ikhtair Wali Khan, Awami National Party’s Khan Pervez, Barrister Sarwar of Pakistan Tahrik e Insaf and Ijazul Haq of Jamiat Ulema Islam-F.
A unique phenomena of 2024 general election is the participation of all family members of PTIP Chief, Pervez Khattak including his son-in-law Dr Imran Khattak and his sons whose nomination papers were accepted for all the national and provincial assemblies’ seats.
Pervez Khattak filed nomination papers for NA-33, PK-87 and PK-88 while nomination papers of his nephew and son-in-law Dr Imran Khattak were accepted for NA-34 and PK-89 respectively.
Pervez Khattak’s sons Ibrahim Khattak and Ismail Khattak are contesting from PK-85 and PK-86, respectively. Former KP Information Minister and Awami National Party leader, Mian Iftikhar Hussain are eying on PK-89 while PMLN’s Ikhtiyar Wali filed nomination papers for NA-33 and PK-88.
Awami National Party’s Khan Pervez, Barrister Sarwar Khan and Mustafa Anwar of PTI, Fayyazur Rahman of PMLN, Mufti Shakatullah and Ijazul Haq of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl and independents nomination papers for NA-33 Nowshera-I were also accepted.
Major-Gen (r) Saad Khattak of Aam Admi Party, Mian Babar Shah of ANP, Mian Khaliqur Rahman, Haji Akbar, Daud Khattak of PTI, Shaiq Amin of Tehreek-e-Labbaik, Hamza Pervez of PMLN, Alhaj Pervez Khan of JUIF, Idrees Khattak of PPP and others are contedting from NA-34 Nowshera-II and others provincial constituencies.
NA-33 Nowshera-I was previously won by PTI’s Siraj Muhammad Khan in 2013 general election after securing 54,266 votes against Syed Zulfiqar Ali Shah of PMLN’s with 34,537 votes while in 2018 general election it was clinched by Pervez Khattak who contested on PTI ticket with 82,118 votes against Khan Pervez of PPP with 35,658 votes.
Pervez Khattak was also elected from NA-34 Nowshera-II on the ticket of PTI in 2013 general election after securing 70,053 votes against runnerup Daud Khan Khattak of ANP with 21,493 votes.
Later, Pervez Khattak resigned from NA-34 and retained NA-33 Nowshera-I. Later, his son-in-law Dr Imran Khattak won NA-34 in by-election after securing 48,043 votes against Daud Khattak of ANP’s with 27,569 votes.
In the 2018 election, this constituency was again won by Dr. Imran Khattak who contested on PTI’s ticket after securing 90,256 votes against Jamal Khattak of ANP’s with 47,132 votes. The total registered voters in NA-34-Nowshera-II are 377,306.
Similarly, former chief minister and central vice president of the PTI-P Mehmood Khan will contest for two National Assembly and one provincial assembly seat from Swat on the ticket of PTIP.
Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) central chairman and former Federal Minister Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao will contest for NA-24, Charsadda, and his son Sikandar Khan Sherpao had been elected to the provincial assembly thrice but lost to a PTI candidate in 2018 the general polls — will contest for KP Assembly from Charssadda.
Moreover, Awami National Party’s (ANP) central president Asfandyar Wali Khan will not be contesting polls due to illness and awarded his son Aimal Wali Khan to contest election 2024 from Charsadda.
Electioneering has picked up momentum in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa after allotment of electoral symbols to the candidates despite cold weather. The political parties and their candidates started addressing corner meetings and election rallies persuading voters about their programs and manifestos.
