Independents heat up NA-55 race

Electorate braces for intense showdown as candidates face off

RAWALPINDI:

A fierce, sensational and captivating electoral battle is anticipated on February 8 in the NA-55 constituency of the National Assembly, encompassing the cantonment areas.

Independent candidates, backed by both the leading political parties – Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) – are set to clash in this high-stakes contest.

Candidates from Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) and Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) will also join the fray. PML-N’s candidate, Malik Abrar Ahmad, is facing criticism from within his party, including Raja Jahandad, former vice-president of the Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB), Malik Usman, an independent winner from ward number two, and former senator Chaudhry Tanveer.

Meanwhile, the PTI-supported independent candidate is grappling with challenges, including legal cases hindering an independent election campaign. Malik Abrar, the PML-N’s candidate, previously secured a seat in the 2013 general election but faced tough competition in 2018 from PTI candidate Amir Mehmood Kayani, who won with 105,000 votes to Malik Abrar Ahmed’s 60,125.

Read PPP, PTI independents to form govt in centre: Khuhro

The constituency comprises 10 wards of the RCB area and Chaklala Cantonment Board, housing communities such as Rajgan, Malik, Chaudhary, Khan, and others. A total of 32 candidates, including representatives from various parties and independents like former provincial law minister Raja Basharat, are in the race.

Despite allotted symbols for the candidates, a closely contested battle is expected, particularly between the PML-N candidate and PTI-backed Raja Basharat. The constituency has a total of 431,832 voters, with 210,783 females and 221,049 males. Malik Abrar faces internal party opposition, notably from Raja Jahandad, the vice-president of the RCB, against whom Abrar played a crucial role in a no-confidence motion. Additionally, two candidates, Raja Malik Usman and Haji Zafar Iqbal, who were denied PML-N tickets are now running as independents in other constituencies.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 27^th, 2024.