Securing votes: Electioneering gains pace in Lakki Marwat

PPP, JUI-F will need the support of influential families to win.

LAKKI MARWAT:

Electioneering has picked up momentum in Lakki Marwat as big hitters from both the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) woo those with vote banks to achieve clear victory in the polls.

The prospective candidates from PPP include Provincial President Anwar Saifullah Khan from PK-74, Humayun Saifullah from PK-75, and Senator Saleem Saifullah from NA-27. Akhtar Munir Khan, brother of the former ally of the Saifullahs, Anwar Kamal Khan, will contest elections from PK-76 (Lakki City).

The JUI-F, another important party from the district, has also floated a few names. Mufti Ziaullah, Ahsanullah and Zafarullah Khan Marwat might contest from the PK-74 constituency; Malik Imran and Samiullah Mujahid from PK-75; Maulana Asghar Ali and Naseer Muhammad Khan from PK-76; and Munawar Khan, Haji Ameer Nawaz Khan and Sher Afzal Khan from NA-27.

It is expected the real contest would be between PPP’s Saifullah family and the JUI-F. As it stands, Anwar Hayat Khan from Jamaat-e-Islaami (JI) is also expected to contest from PK-74.



Both, the PPP and JUI-F are nose-to-nose in efforts to court the JI as no one can undermine Hayat’s vote bank in the district. Yet, the rather long list of development projects undertaken by the Saifullah brothers has given them a boost for the upcoming elections.

The JUI-F, during Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal’s tenure, awarded Serai Naurang ‘tehsil’ status and built a hospital and helped improve the Government Degree College. Yet the tehsil status remained more of a paper deal, according to locals. With internal rifts in the JUI-F over assigning the said status to Serai Naurang instead of Tijori, much of the plans remained in the pipeline.

The 2008 JUI-F alliance with the Kabir family against the Saifullah brothers did not prove as fruitful, since the brothers won by a substantial margin against Fazl’s party. Although the Kabirs still support JUI-F, this might not extend to elections, further strengthening the PPP’s position.

In addition to each political party’s electoral pull, the might of the Zakori family’s vote bank cannot be underestimated by any of the contenders in the district. The late Dr Khalid Raza, from the Zakori family, contested the 2008 polls from the JUI-F platform and was the runner-up candidate.

Fawad Raza Zakori, the  young head of the family, told The Express Tribune the Zakoris have 8,000 voters each in PK-74 and PK-75, but do not enjoy a similar position of strength in PK-76. According to Fawad Raza, the family is suited by JI for their influence.

“Mushtaq Zakori, however, is supporting Saleem Saifullah for his NA seat. Tufail Zakori is contesting the elections on his own from both NA-75 and PK-75,” he stated.

Being a member of the Zakori family, Tufail has substantial pull, but it is speculated he would need to adjust seats with Humayun and Saleem Saifullah as he might not be able to draw sufficient voters from the influential brothers to secure a victory. In practicality, putting his voters behind the Saifullahs would allow Zakoris to plan future projects in the constituency if the Saifullahs win NA-75 and PK-75 with their backing.

In PK-76, Akhtar Munir stands strong, but would also need to enter into seat adjustments with Humayun and Anwar Saifullah.

The relationship between the Zakori family and Saifullah brothers is more likely to shape the electoral outcome in Lakki Marwat. Even in a toss-up, each party stands to benefit from the 15,000 followers of the Zakori family.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 21^st, 2013.