Tough competition expected in Kamalia

Candidates backed by PML-N and PTI in the race for NA-107

KAMALIA:

Constituency NA-107, encompassing Tehsil Kamalia and Pirmahal in District Toba Tek Singh, gears up for a challenging electoral battle.

With a total population of 856,716, the constituency boasts 509,787 registered voters distributed across 420 polling stations.

Notably, 21 polling stations have been designated as sensitive.

Elections in NA-107 often revolve around community affiliations and local groups, supplementing ideological votes for political parties.

A fierce competition is anticipated, primarily between the candidates backed by Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI).

Riyaz Fatyana represents PTI, contesting with
the symbol "Table
chair," while Chaudhry Asadur Rehman vies for PML-N with the symbol "Lion".

Malik Amjad Yaqoob, the candidate of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP),
also throws his hat into the ring.

The provincial seats, PP-123 Kamalia and PP-124 Pirmahal, echo the intensity of the electoral battle. On PP-123, PML-N's Nazia Raheel squares off against PTI-backed Ashafa Riaz Fatyana in a closely contested race.

Meanwhile, Farid Abbas of PPP and Rana Irshad Anwar of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) emerge as significant contenders in the constituency.

In PP-124, PML-N's Syed Qutb Ali Shah, utilizing the PML-N election symbol, clashes with PTI-backed Syed Sonia Ali Shah, symbolised by "Piyala." This contest remains the most closely watched, with JI's Rana Ghulam Abbas standing out among other candidates.

Despite the electoral fervour, residents of PP-123 and PP-124 grapple with the absence of basic amenities.

Issues ranging from healthcare, education, sanitation, and clean water supply to damaged infrastructure persist.

The inadequate facilities in THQ Hospital Kamalia often lead to patient referrals to Faisalabad due to a shortage of beds and modern treatment options.

The deteriorating condition of the district's main roads adds to the list of concerns.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 2^nd, 2024.