A crowded field in Chichawatni
Chichawatni seat fell vacant when PTI candidate was disqualified on court orders. PHOTO: AFP
As many as 17 candidates are contesting for the lone seat of the National Assembly from Chichawatni the tehsil in addition to 53 others vying from three constituencies of the Punjab Assembly.
Local political analysts foresee a tough competition in the elections scheduled for February 8.
According to the data released by the Election Commission of Pakistan for Sahiwal district, 17 candidates are contesting for one seat of the National Assembly, including covering candidates of some parties.
There are 18 candidates for the provincial assembly from the constituency PP-202, 18 from PP-203 and 17 from PP-204.
Former MPAs Rana Riaz Ahmad Khan and Chaudhry Muhammad Hanif Jutt are contesting from two constituencies each for the Pakistan Muslim League-N.
Ex-MNA Begum Shahnaz Javed's son Ali Javed Sheikh is contesting from NA-143 for the Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarian along with ex-MPA Chaudhry Shehzad Saeed Cheema from PP-202 and a new face, Mehar Waheed Hussain Kathia. from PP-203
Malik Noman Iqbal Langriyal, the scion of a seasoned political family, is in the field from NA-143 and his son Barrister Falak Sher from PP-204 for the first time as candidates of the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party.
Read Does PTI’s exit mean walkover for PML-N in polls?
Majid Hussain Rizvi from NA-143 and PP-203, Mian Ghulam Hussain Sukhira from PP-202 and Umeer Saleem from PP-204 are in the field as candidates of the Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan.
Chaudhry Faiz Miran Gujjar from NA-143, Ferozuddin Ahmed Anees from PP-202 and Malik Amir Akhtar Anjam from PP-204 have been fielded by the Jamaat-e-Islami.
Syed Rashid Hussain Shah from PP-203 and Muhammad Asim Akram from PP-204 are contesting on Pakistan Awami Tehreek's election symbol motorcycle, while Pakistan Markazi Muslim League’s candidate Chaudhry Arshad Nawab is contesting from NA-143, Shahzad Ali from PP-202, Muhammad Ibrahim from PP-203 and Amjad Parvez from PP-204.
Following a decision by the Election Commission of Pakistan, the nominees of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) are contesting as independent candidates. From NA-143, the head of a seasoned political family and former district Nazim Rai Hasan Nawaz Khan is contesting with the election symbol of mike, former MPA Sardar Waheed Asghar Dogar from PP-202 with aeroplane, ex-MNA Rai Murtaza Iqbal Khan from PP 203 with mike and former MPA Major (retd) Chaudhry Ghulam Sarwar from PP-204 also with mike.
Read PTI candidates face loyalty oath dilemma
A strong estranged group of the PML-N is also contesting the election from all the four constituencies in the tehsil with the symbol of Hookah. The ‘Peace Group’ has developed differences with the party leadership over the distribution of tickets. Its candidates are former Sahiwal district council chairman Chaudhry Zahid Iqbal from NA-143 and PP-203, from vice chairman Rana Sajjad Hussain Khan from PP-202 and for MNA Chaudhry Munir Azhar’s son Shahid Munir from PP-204.
Former PMl-N MNA Chaudhry Muhammad Tufail Jutt is also contesting as an independent candidate from NA-143.
According to the ECP data, the total number of voters in NA-143 is 584,698, of whom 314,202 are male and 270,496 female. The number of polling stations is 442 with 1,355 booths.
The number of voters in PP-202 is 265,194 and 192 polling stations with 632 booths will be set up for them. The provincial assembly constituency PP-203 has 242,156 with 185 polling stations and PP-204 has 249,599 voters and 187 polling stations.
In the last general elections held in 2018, PTI candidates had won the National Assembly and two provincial assembly seats from Chichawatni. The party had also later won two by-elections in Chichawatni.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 25th, 2024.