Hoti, Atif to face off for NA-21 Mardan

Locals say the two candidates have a good track record and are electoral favourites

PESHAWAR: The upcoming elections promise a few tantalising contests. One of the biggest contests on offer will be between a former provincial chief minister and a former provincial minister.

Both, former Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) chief minister Ameer Haider Hoti of the Awami National Party (ANP) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) former provincial education minister Mohammad Atif Khan will be facing off for the NA-21 Mardan seat, previously known as NA-9.



Atif plans to contest the July 25 elections on two seats. The provincial assembly seat of PK-50 Mardan-III and the national assembly seat NA-21 Mardan-II.

Hoti, on the other hand, will be contesting the elections from PK-53 as well as NA-21.

Both have started their election campaigns in their respective constituencies, asking questions of the other’s character, political history, strength and weaknesses.

They have levelled allegations of corruption against each other, claiming that there was no progress under their respective tenures.

The two rival leaders also spent most of their time amongst locals during Eidul Fitr as they scheduled their upcoming political activities.

Addressing a rally in Mardan, Atif accused Hoti of indulging in corruption while in power.

The education minister added that Hoti’s brother and other associates were arrested for their involvement in corruption. Moreover, he said that the ANP government claimed to have set up universities, naming them after their elders and collected millions on the pretext of development works.

In a statement, Hoti hit back at Atif, accusing the PTI government of indulging in development works only on social media pages rather than doing anything on the ground. After having ‘brought the people’ to hold the powerful accountable during their tenure, Hoti said that it was now time for the PTI to themselves face the people and answer tough questions about practical work done.

Hoti also challenged the PTI claim of eliminating corruption from the province, noting how billions had been allegedly pilfered in the construction of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project in Peshawar.

Moreover, Hoti accosted Atif for claiming credit for setting up varsities which were established by the ANP.

He added that the PTI had completely failed to do anything for the people during their tenure except for leaving the people steeped in debt to pay for the BRT.



Residents wary of heavyweights

While the PTI and ANP candidates trade barbs in their electoral campaigns, residents of NA-21 are least bothered by the display of one-upmanship.

Instead, they highlighted how they need a leader who will work for the betterment of the area in tangible terms.

NA-21 resident Muhammad Zawar Khan said that while ANP’s Hoti was a strong candidate, the PTI had managed to win people over owing to their performance over the past five years.

Raza Ali Khan, another resident, said that no one has ever come close to doing what the PTI has done so far.

PTI has made the life of every resident better, in education, health, law and order, government services and Infrastructure, he said.

He added that K-P was a province where the people vote solely on the basis of performance and that no other government has ever been re-elected, a testament to the public scorecard on their performance. 

Published in The Express Tribune, June 21^st, 2018.