Changing contest: PTI candidate’s disqualification opens field in PK-50

Yusuf Ayub Khan’s nomination papers rejected over contradictory academic qualifications.


Muhammad Sadaqat April 10, 2013
Yusuf Ayub Khan’s nomination papers rejected over contradictory academic qualifications. PHOTO: FILE

HARIPUR: The contest in PK-50 Haripur-II has taken an interesting turn with the disqualification of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate Yusuf Ayub Khan, a two-time provincial minister and nephew of former foreign minister Gohar Ayub Khan.

Yusuf had decided to put his experience as district nazim to use by contesting from PK-50, once a strong hold of Tareens. However, Yusuf’s hopes faded when his nomination papers were rejected following an objection raised by former Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly speaker and close relative, Major (r) Habib Ullah Khan, over Yusuf’s contradictory academic qualification claims.

According to a returning officer, Yusuf had claimed he had a Bachelor of Arts degree when he contested the 2002 general elections. But when filing nomination papers for the upcoming elections, he mentioned completing education only till the intermediate level.

Following his disqualification, Ayub held a press conference and said he would not challenge the decision in court. Instead, he told his supporters to divert their attention towards his younger brother Arshad Ayub Khan and support him as a covering candidate.

Arshad first ventured into politics when he participated in the 2008 general elections. He, however, lost to an independent candidate, Qazi Asad, who also defeated Yusuf in the 2002 polls.

Yusuf’s disqualification has now given Asad a clearer shot at the provincial assembly seat for a third time. Despite having joined Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Asad would have faced tough competition had Yusuf been in the running.

Observers believe even though Asad has been praised for his tenure as the provincial minister for higher education, during which he introduced several projects in the education sector, he has lost the support of some close friends. These include former union nazim Khursheed Anwar Khan and supporters from his own Sikandarpur village. He has also lost support in areas like Sera-e-Saleh village and Mohallah Malikpura.

In the meantime, PTI remains undecided over selecting Yusuf’s successor. The situation has become more complicated with Khurshid Anwar Khan’s induction into PTI. Khurshid is Arshad Ayub’s rival and unlikely to withdraw his candidacy in favour of the latter.

Sources close to Arshad Ayub maintained that since his brother’s supporters were on Arshad’s side, PTI will award the ticket to him.

PTI district president Kamal Ahmed Ghaznavi rebutted the claim, saying his party is yet to make a decision following Yusuf’s disqualification.

Khurshid, who has a rapport with senior PTI leaders including Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Makhdoom Javed Hashmi, argued that since Arshad did not apply for the party ticket before the deadline, he cannot be awarded a ticket in place of his brother.

“PTI is not anyone’s family property. It’s a party that encourages democratic norms,” said Khurshid.

The race between Khurshid and Asad would be a close one because both candidates enjoy support in PK-50. Khurshid could also well become a spoiler for Asad.

Ghazan Iqbal Khan Tareen, another relative of Yusuf, will also be contesting from the same constituency on a Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) ticket. Though Ghazan is a new entrant, he could cause a dent in Arshad Ayub’s vote bank due to family ties.

Pakistan Peoples Party district president Haji Tahir Qureshi will be joining the race and is said to enjoy support of urban voters in some areas.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 10th, 2013.

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