Dera Ghazi Khan district: PML-N favourite to lead in Khosa stronghold

Zulfiqar Khosa is supporting candidates fielded by the Pakistan Peoples Party

DERA GHAZI KHAN:

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) is likely to win most of the seats in the local government elections.

The Leghari Group is likely to win the majority of seats in Kot Chatha Municipal Committee. Candidates supported by MNA Sardar Amjad Farooq Khan Khosa are among the favourites in Taunsa.

Of the 17 seats in NA-172, four have been kept ‘open’ owing to differences between Sardar Muhammad Jamal Khan Laghari and MNA Hafiz Abdul Kareem. Candidates endorsed by both leaders are running as independents.

More than 250 Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) candidates are also in the field, but election campaign has been marred by rifts within the party. Jamaat-i-Islami candidates are making some seat adjustment.

The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has fielded 57 candidates. There are more than 300 candidates supported by Senator Zulfiqar Khosa and former caretaker chief minister Sardar Dost Muhammad Khan Khosa. All the parties are claiming imminent success.

Sardar Ahmad Khan Leghari, Sardar Abdul Qadir Khosa and Barrister Ebad Ali Khan Khosa are contesting the election from the PML-N platform.

The Zulfiqar Khosa Group might prove the dark house should it forge an alliance with opposition parties.

It is already supporting the Pakistan Peoples Party in the district.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 2^nd, 2015.