The ‘modern education’ provided by the college and PTI’s slogan of ‘change’ are being used against the PTI chief. PHOTO: PPI / FILE
The 40-kanal campus of Namal college presents is an unexpected sight. It does not display a single flag, banner or poster of its founder Imran Khan or his party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI). Here, the ‘modern education’ provided by the college and PTI’s slogan of ‘change’ are being used against the PTI chief. An institution build for the people, is going against its founder.
Located next to Namal Lake at Rikhi, a remote village of Mianwali district, Namal college is affiliated with Bradford University, and is providing technical education along with a reasonable stipend. Yet, this very progress is the crux of the anti-PTI campaign here.
In Mianwali is NA-71, the constituency from where Imran Khan is contesting elections.
Modern vs traditional
“Boys and girls walk hand in hand in Namal College and we do not want such a change in our society,” Malik Ahmed Khan, a PML-N supporter, said and received a huge round of applause from the audience while addressing a rally at Rikhi, some 30 hours before Khan’s fall from a forklift in Lahore.
The rally was organised by the residents of Rikhi to express solidarity with Obaidullah Khan Shadi Khel, candidate of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) for NA-71.
After criticising the co-education system at Namal college, the speaker started complaining against the observance of meritocracy in award of admissions to students.
“Our children do not get admission at the college and Imran Khan has refused to allocate quota for the locals,” Ahmed Khan added. “If it was easy to qualify on merit we could have even sent our children to Lahore,” he added.
A campaign by a daughter to let women vote
In Mianwali, around 80 per cent population lives in villages and sticks to centuries’ old conservative traditions. The district also includes Paikhel union council where women have never been allowed to cast their votes as per decision of a jirga. But Ayla Malik of PTI has struggled and organised a jirga of local elders and has convinced them to allow women of this area to vote for the first time in their lives.
PTI’s campaign in this area is spearheaded by Malik, the granddaughter of West Pakistan governor Nawab of Kalabagh. Malik is going to every village saying “I am your daughter”. This being a tribal society makes it virtually impossible for anyone to refuse a daughter if she comes to your house for something, said a resident of the area. She is also utilising the influence of her family for campaigning.
Malik is on number three in PTI’s priority list of female reserved seats. She was warmly welcomed by the residents of Kalabagh on arrival. She addressed the rally and talked about change, promising to address their problems. Her native town still has issues though her family has always been in power.
The PML-N perspective
PML-N candidates are carrying with them a list of 14 demands for the welfare of the people signed by Nawaz Sharif.
“This is from PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif,” Shadi Khel told The Express Tribune. The demands include establishment of Danish School, declaring Mianwali a tax-free zone, provision of gas supply, plots for deserving and construction of a dyke for protection against River Indus.
“Locals have the right and they should be given admission in Namal college,” he told the rally and said “don’t you worry; there will soon be a cadet college here for your children.” Then he told the rally that PML-N chief has already given the commitment to fulfil their demands.
Though several speakers censured the opponents, Adil Abdullah Rokhari, a PML-N candidate from PP-44 who became youngest ever member of provincial assembly in 2012 after death of his father, did not follow the suit. “I am not fond of criticising,” Rokhari said while talking to The Express Tribune.
In the spirit of honesty, while addressing the rally, Rokhari said, “I will be honest with you; addressing 100 percent of your problems would not be possible but I can assure you that 60-70 percent of your problems will be addressed.”
Published in The Express Tribune, May 10th, 2013.
COMMENTS (1)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
Good words by Hayat Rokhri.