Campaign trail: In the Land of the Raja

Former prime minister says PPP is open to coalition with PML-N.

GUJAR KHAN:

The unmistakable whiff of Potohari culture is in the air as soon as one steps onto the soil of Pakistan’s largest tehsil, Gujar Khan.

Guarded by half a dozen policemen, a famous son of the soil sits on a stage to which the red carpet leads. Scattered rose petals everywhere give testimony to the warm welcome he has received. The man looks comfortable as he hugs a little boy while on stage in union council Mohra Noori in Gujar Khan.

Gujar Khan is known for producing valiant soldiers, including the incumbent army chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani. But today, the centre of attention is a man who is very much a civilian, and very much a politician; none other than former prime minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf.

“My vote is for Raja Sahib who ensured a better future for the poor people by inaugurating projects worth billions in NA-51 (Rawalpindi-II Gujar Khan),” says local farmer Chaudhry Iftikhar Ahmed, echoing the sentiment of most present.

With the elections less than a week away, Ashraf is actively involved in a door-to-door campaign along with his younger brother Raja Imran Ashraf. Now that he is no longer PM, he spends a great deal of time reassuring voters that all development projects in the area, worth over Rs12 billion, will be completed soon. We shadow him on this scorching summer day to witness the election campaign of this well-known political figure and to bring readers an exclusive interview.

“The PPP’s focus is on how to give more rights to the poor and the farmers while other parties focus on industrialists only. Through our farmer-friendly policies, we have ensured food security in the country,” said Ashraf while also claiming that flour was not available in the country when PPP came into power in 2008.

Ashraf, who is busy in his election campaign, said that his party has the experience of running coalition governments and even if the PML-N wins a majority in the general elections, PPP could make an alliance with them as well.

“I can say with firm belief that we are going to form a coalition government on same pattern as before, as our allies are also in a good position in this election,” he said, while agreeing that “there are obstacles for PPP, MQM and ANP, due to their liberal and moderate views.”

The former premier also predicted good electoral success for Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).  Speaking about his party, Ashraf played down the damage recent threats had caused. “Though PPP’s top leadership is scared of the prevailing law and order situation, we continue to stay connected with our people.”

Talking about the dampened election campaign of PPP, Ashraf said, “People are well aware of the reason why we are not organising huge rallies.” According to him, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari is personally in contact with all candidates of the party. “I also receive reports of the election campaign on a daily basis.” Visiting Mandrah, Daultala and Mohra Noori, we saw over four dozen name plates of projects inaugurated by Ashraf in NA-51 during the last three years.

Asked if the development was at all skewed in favour of his own constituency, Ashraf said that he did not misuse public funds as prime minister and allocations were made to all the constituencies equally. “We also allocated funds for PML-N’s MNAs,” he said.

Citing the achievements of the government during the last five years, he said.

“We will win this time because of our outstanding performance during the last five years. We executed development projects in the country that could not be carried out during the last 65 years,” he claimed.  Ashraf is optimistic of success in the rural areas. “We have injected Rs900 billion in the rural sector,” he said.

Citing the Pakistan-Iran gas pipeline as an example, Ashraf claimed that PPP government’s contribution to the energy sector is significant. “We have added 4500 megawatt electricity to the system,” he said, while also mentioning the work done on Bhasha dam.

Ashraf said that his party will focus on the energy and security situation in the next five years. “We will give more attention to these crucial issues this time,” promised Ashraf.

But while many said they would vote for Ashraf, his party may not fare that well, In typical style, many locals have divided their votes into chota (Provincial) vote and vadda (National) vote.

“I am supporting PTI in PP-4 but I will vote for Ashraf in NA-51 because he always fulfilled his promises to us,” said Ishaque Ahmed, a teacher in union council Bhadana.

Opposing Ashraf on the NA seat is the PML-N’s Raja Javaid Akhlas. “It will be a good contest between the two,” said Raja Babar Minhas who recently joined PPP.

However, PTI worker Ahmed Bhala claims that his party will prevail against traditional politicians in the region. PTI’s candidate Raja Farhat Faheem, however, doesn’t seem to be in a position to cause an upset, and while Jamaat-e-Islami and other religious parties may have a pull on the vote bank, Ashraf’s position seems secure.

Surprisingly, no one in Gujar Khan talked about the corruption charges Ashraf has been facing. It seems that, in the final analysis, all politics truly is local.


Published in The Express Tribune, May 5^th, 2013.