The sun never set on K-P’s political bullpen

With mergers and old bedfellows back in action, PTI emerged slightly stronger

PESHAWAR:

The political atmosphere of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa was as dynamic as it could get, with local government (LG) elections giving Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf a little more oomph in its step, giving it grass root and legislative power. Parties which were out are now in, for others a more bittersweet experience as they lost public favour.

The outgoing year proved lucky for Jamaat-e-Islami chief Sirajul Haq who left the provincial assembly for the upper house.

However, it was not so great for Awami National Party which fell victim to not just intensified traditional rivalry with Khattak from Nowshera but also to the domestic disputes. Maulana Fazalur Rahman’s party did not fare better as Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl was defeated in the LG polls in its strongholds of DI Khan and Bannu.

Senate polls

The first quarter of 2015 was spent with emphasis on March 5 – Senate polls. PTI won six out of 12 seats, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz two and JUI-F, Pakistan Peoples Party and ANP won one seat each. QWP, upon winning nothing, entered into deals with professional Senate investors from DI Khan.

Mergers and alliance

In return for a senate seat, leaders of Awami Jamhoori Ittehad Pakistan commonly known as the Swabi group merged with PTI. Imran Khan attended the public rally at Karnal Sher Khan Killi where Minister for Health Shahram Khan Tarakai declared AJIP’s merger with PTI. However, a group headed by MPA Babar Saleem Khan opposed the decision and reincarnated Swabi Qaumi Mahaz, his late father Dr Mohammad Salim Khan’s party.

This merger had disastrous consequences for ANP which had already suffered a lot in Swabi during the 2013 general polls. Against the backdrop of setbacks suffered on the day of local elections, Chief Minister Pervez Khattak forced PTI’s central high command to endorse his commitments for a re-alliance with Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao and his party. QWP agreed to join PTI-led coalition in return for two ministerial offices.

Shifting powers

K-P government succeeded in completing LG elections in 23 out of 24 districts in 2015.

Prior to LG elections, PTI faced scattered opposition within provincial assembly but immediately after the elections, elected councillors and nazims emerged as a strong and effective opposition force.

For provincial assembly seats, PTI was defeated in Haripur by-elections as was its ally, JI, in Upper Dir. While JI became less of a presence in the K-P Assembly, PPP enhanced its strength from five to six seats.

No more in politics

A number of leading politicians from K-P lost their lives in 2015. ANP lost Mohammad Afzal Khan, commonly known as Khan Lala from Swat, Azam Khan Hoti from Mardan, Arbab Ayub Jan from Peshawar, Haji Rahmanullah Khan from Swabi and Haji Wali Mohammad Khan from Nowshera. ANP also lost its leader Dost Mohammad Khan from Charsadda to terrorism.

Begum Kulsoom Saifullah Khan, head of an influential political family from southern K-P and Dr Tariq Nishtar, son of Sardar Abdul Rab Nishtar, a leading freedom fighter, a leader of PML-Q and a companion of Mohammad Ali Jinnah also passed away, leaving a void in K-P’s political huddle.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 1^st, 2016.