Constituencies of Pakistan’s known faces

As Pakistan gears up for its upcoming elections, key political leaders are facing off in crucial constituencies, setting the stage for intense battles and potential shifts in power dynamics. Here’s a breakdown of some prominent figures and the constituencies they are contesting in:

Nawaz Sharif (PML-N) – NA-15 Manshera, K-P, and NA-130 Lahore:

PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif is contesting for NA-15. His main rivals in the constituency are Mufti Kifayatullah of the JUI-F and Shahzada Gastasab. PTI candidate from the constituency Azam Khan Swati has withdrawn from the race.

Nawaz is also contesting for NA-130 Lahore, where PTI’s Dr Yasmeen Rashid is going to give him an interesting competition.

Maulana Fazul ur Rehman (JUI-F) – NA-44 Dera Ismail Khan, K-P and NA-265 Pishin, Balochistan:

JUI-F chief Maulana Fazul ur Rehman is contesting for NA-44, where he is facing a tough battle against PTI’s Ali Amin Gandapur and PPP Information Secretary Fazal Kareem Kundi.

He is also contesting for NA-265. In a seat adjustment, Pakhtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) chief Mehmood Khan Achakzai has withdrawn from that constituency in favour of Maulana Fazl.

This is an interesting seat adjustment in these elections as the two parties had always been far apart in their ideologies and politics in the past. To repay the gesture, Maulana’s JUI-F is supporting Achakzai in NA-263, Quetta.

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari (PPP) – NA-127 Lahore, NA-194 Larkana, Sindh:

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari whose party takes part in the elections as Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarian (PPPP) is trying hard to make inroads into Punjab. He will be contesting for NA-127 Lahore.

In this constituency, he will be contesting against PML-N’s Attaullah Tarar, who was denied the ticket in his home constituency of Gujranwala. PTI’s Shabbir Ahmed Gujjar is also contesting for this seat as an independent on the election symbol “Huqqa”.

In all, there are 25 candidates in the constituency.

Bilawal is also contesting from his home constituency of NA-194 Larkana. He will be facing Rashid Mehmood Soomro of the JUI-F and others in the constituency.

Asif Ali Zardari (PPP) – NA-207 Nawabshah, Sindh:

Former president Asif Ali Zardari will be contesting for NA-207 Nawabshah. His main opponent in the constituency is Sher Muhammad Baloch of the PTI.

Shahbaz Sharif (PML-N) – NA-123 Lahore:

Former prime minister Shahbaz Sharif will be contesting the NA-123 Lahore constituency. He faces competition from Jamat-e-Islami’s Liaqat Baloch, PPP’s Ziaul Haq, and Afzal Azim, an independent candidate among 16 others. Additionally, he is contesting for another National Assembly seat in Okara and a provincial assembly seat in Lahore.

Jahangir Khan Tareen (IPP) – NA-149 Multan and NA-155 Lodhran, Punjab:

Jahangir Khan Tareen, head of the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP), is contesting for NA-149 in Multan where the PML-N is also backing him. He is also contesting for NA-155 Lodhran.

Sirajul Haq (JI) – NA-6, Lower Dir, K-P:

Jamaat-e-Islami chief Sirajul Haq is contesting for NA-6 in Lower Dir, a constituency where he has participated in past elections.

Amir Haider Hoti (ANP) – NA-22, Mardan, K-P:

Former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister Amir Haider Hoti is vying for NA-22 in Mardan. This seat is considered a stronghold by the ANP, making it one of the few they deem secure.

Pervaiz Khattak (PTI-Parliamentarians) – NA-33 Nowshera, K-P:

Pervaiz Khattak, who formed the PTI-Parliamentarian after parting ways with Imran Khan, will be contesting for NA-33 Nowshera. His two sons are also contesting for provincial assembly seats. Khattak will have interesting competition from PTI’s Atif Khan. Atif is also contesting from Peshawar city where he is facing ANP leader Ghulam Ahmed Bilour.

Raja Pervez Ashraf (PPP) – NA-52 Gujar Khan, Punjab:

National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervez Ashraf is contesting for NA-52 Gujar Khan. His main opponent is Raja Javed Iklas of the PML-N. Good competition is expected on this seat, which has been the only seat the PPP had in north Punjab in the 2018 elections.

Barrister Gohar Khan (PTI) – NA-10 Buner:

PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar is contesting for NA-10 Buner. He will be facing JUI-F, ANP and JI candidates.

Aimal Wali Khan (ANP) – NA-25 Charsadda, K-P:

ANP provincial chief Aimal Wali Khan who is great grandson of Ghaffar Khan is contesting for NA-25 Charsadda, where JUI-F’s Maulana Gohar Shah is his main opponent.

Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpo (QWP) – NA-24 Charsada, K-P:

Former chief minister Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpo, who is the head of his party, Qaumi Watan Party, is trying his luck in NA-24 Charsadda constituency.

Besides there are several other constituencies where senior level party candidates are contesting.

 

NA-54 Taxila

In NA-54 Taxila an interesting competition is expected between traditional rivals, former interior minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan and former aviation minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan. Sarwar is contesting from the platform of Jahangir Tareen’s IPP, while Nisar is contesting as an independent. NA-54 is one of the seats where the PML-N is backing the IPP candidate.

NA-64 Gujrat:

The PML-Q made seat adjustments with the PML-N in NA-64 Gujrat to accommodate the son of Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, Chaudhry Salik Hussain. Shujaat’s other son Shafay Hussain was accommodated for a provincial assembly seat PP-31.

Pervez Ellahi:

Last week, the Supreme Court allowed imprisoned PTI President Chaudhry Parvez Ellahi to contest the elections, overturning the returning officer’s decision of rejecting his nomination papers. Ellahi who has served as the deputy prime minister, Punjab chief minister and Punjab speaker has chosen to contest from PP-32. His wife will be contesting for a National Assembly seat of NA-64, where she will be facing her nephew Salik Hussain, who is son of her brother, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain.

NA-70

In NA-70, IPP’s Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan, who had remained a federal minister, will face PML-N’s Armaghan Subhani and PTI’s independent candidate.

NA-75 Narowal:

In NA-75 Narowal, Daniyal Aziz who parted ways with the PML-N for not giving him the party ticket will be contesting against Anwaarul Haq who secured the ticket.

NA-117 Lahore:

In NA-117 Lahore IPP’s Aleem Khan is contesting against 20 others. PPP’s Asif Hashmi and famous singer Ibrarul Haq are prominent among them. PML-N is also backing him here.

Maryam Nawaz (PML-N) – NA-119 Lahore:

PML-N’s Maryum Nawaz is contesting for NA-119 Lahore. A total of 18 candidates are in the contest in this constituency, including PPP’s Iftikhar Shabir and Nadeem Sherwani. She is also contesting for a provincial assembly seat. She is expected to face a tough competition from PTI’s Sanam Javed, who was allowed by the Supreme Court last week to contest the polls as an independent. Sanam is also contesting for NA-120 and PP-150 against the PML-N candidates.

NA-118 Lahore:

In NA-118, Hamza Shahbaz is contesting, with Muhammad Khan Madni of the PTI prominent among his 13 rivals. Hamza is also contesting for a provincial assembly seat.

NA-120 & NA-121:

Former National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq and Sheikh Rohail Asghar had a tough fight for the PML-N ticket. However, the party accommodated both. Ayaz is contesting for NA-120 in Lahore, while Rohail Asghar for NA-121. Both can have good contest from lesser known PTI candidates in the area.

NA-122 Lahore:

However, in NA-122 Lahore, former minister Saad Rafiq is likely to face good contest from independents Azhar Saddique and prominent lawyer and former Punjab governor Latif Khosa, who joined PTI after leaving the PPP last year.

NA-128 Lahore:

In NA-128 Lahore IPP’s Awn Chaudhry will be facing prominent lawyer Salman Akram Raja of the PTI and the JI stalwart Liaqat Baloch. Baloch is also contesting for NA-123 against Shahbaz Sharif.

NA-129 Lahore:

In NA 129 Lahore prominent politician Mian Muhammad Azhar, who is the father of former PTI minister Hammad Azhar is facing PML-N’s Hafiz Nauman.

Yousaf Raza Gillani:

Former prime minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani is contesting for NA-148, Multan. His two sons Ali Musa Gillani and Abdul Qadir Gillani are contesting for NA-151 and NA-152, Multan, respectively, while another son Ali Haider Gillani is contesting for a Punjab Assembly seat of PP-213.

Shah Mehmood Qureshi:

Former foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi’s nomination papers for NA-150 and NA-151, Multan and PP-218 were rejected but there are reports that he might be allowed to contest for NA-214 Umarkot Sindh. However, his son Zain Qureshi is contesting for NA-150, while his daughter Mehr Bano Qureshi is contesting for NA-151. She will also be contesting for a provincial assembly seat of PP-218, where her father had wanted to contest.Karachi

Interesting contest is expected in financial capital Karachi, where in NA-235 Merajul Huda of the JI, Muhammad Iqbal Khan of the MQM and Saifur Rehman of the PTI are prominent contestants.
In NA-236 PTI’s Firdous Shamim Naqvi will be facing Hassan Shabir of the MQM, Osama Razi of the JI and Muzamil Qureshi of the PPP.

In NA-237 MQM leader Rauf Siddiqi will be contesting against Irfan Ahmed of the JI, Zahoor Mehsud of the PTI and Asad Niazi of the PPP.

PTI provincial chief Haleem Adil Sheikh will be contesting against Sadiq Iftikhar of the MQM, Saifur Rehman of the JI for NA-238.

MQM-P’s Dr Farooq Sattar will be facing competition from the PTI’s Khurram Sher Zaman and the PPP’s Mirza Ikhtiar Baig in NA-241.

MQM-P’s Syed Mustafa Kamal will face PPP’s Qadir Mandokhil and PML-N’s Khawaja Shoaib in NA-242.

MQM-P chief Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqi will be contesting for NA-248, while former leader of opposition MQM-P’s Khawaja Izhar ul Hassan will be contesting for NA-247.

Balochistan

Several interesting contests are anticipated in Balochistan. Seven former chief ministers, including Nawab Aslam Raisani, Jam Kamal Khan, and others, are actively participating. Sardar Akhtar Jan Mengal (BNP-M) is contesting for multiple seats, forming alliances with the JUI-F and competing against BNP-Awami in Khuzdar. Dr Abdul Malik Baloch (NP) is also contesting here.

Sardar Akhtar Mengal, the leader of the Balochistan National Party (BNP-M), is in the race for PB-20 in Wadh and three National Assembly seats in the province – NA-263, Quetta, NA-256, Khuzdar, and NA-261, Kalat. The BNP-M has struck a deal with the JUI-F in Khuzdar to enhance its chances of success.

This coalition is poised to contest against the BNP-Awami in Khuzdar. National Party (NP) chief Dr Abdul Malik Baloch is contesting the polls for NA-259, Turbat, with Syed Ehsan Shah of the BNP-M as his main rival.

Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani is also contesting the election from PB-32 Chaghi. The PML-N and JUI F candidates will compete against Sanjrani, who is considered to be one of the candidates for the position of Balochistan chief minister.

Former caretaker interior minister Sarfraz Bugti, who recently joined the PPP, is contesting the polls from his native town Dera Bugti. Bugti is also one of the most probable candidate for the slot of the Balochistan chief minister.