Much to Abbasi’s dismay: Khan to represent Rawalpindi in NA

PTI local leadership pushed their leader to retain the seat in NA stronghold.

RAWALPINDI:

If Hanif Abbasi, the former Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) representative from Rawalpindi, had any hopes of reclaiming his lost fortress through by elections, they were irrevocably smashed on Saturday. The Pakistan Tehreek-e Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan, who defeated Abbasi in the May 11 elections, decided to retain his Rawalpindi National Assembly (NA) seat.

Khan had bagged three seats on polling day: NA-1 Peshawar, NA-71 Mianwali and NA-56 Rawalpindi, losing only from an NA seat in Lahore. After deliberations, the party, and Khan, decided to keep NA-56 as they feel it is the most insecure seat out of the lot with Rawalpindi being a PML-N stronghold.

Khan had defeated Abbasi, who had won this constituency twice before, by securing 80,577 votes. In a shocking turn of events, Rawalpindi, an age old PML-N stronghold, gave PTI six provincial and one NA seat and witnessed a strong challenge on the remaining ones.

PTI insiders told The Express Tribune that after wining this seat, Khan was asked not to vacate it as party high-ups feared the PML-N might reclaim it in the by-elections. The local leadership of the party played a vital role to convince the party chief, who believed it was important to maintain their ingress in the ‘lion’s den’.

After hearing of Khan’s decision, residents of this constituency were pleased and suggested that he contest the 2018 elections from NA-56 as well. “I’m happy that Imran Khan has decided to keep this seat and shown his trust in voters and I wish he would contest every election from my constituency,” said Tahir Abbasi, a resident of NA-56.

Muhammad Adeel, another local, appreciated the decision and termed it a victory for all of NA-56. “Now we will never disappoint Khan as he upheld our honor,” said Adeel.

According to sources, Awami Muslim League chief Sheikh Rashid, who won NA-55 general elections with the support of PTI, had also convinced Khan to retain his Rawalpindi seat as it was the most important win.

PTI Rawalpindi President Arif Abbasi confirmed Khan’s decision to retain NA-56 and claimed it was taken because the people of this constituency trusted Khan.

However, he ruled out the impression that it would be difficult for the party to retain this seat in a possible by-election. “We could not hold a huge gathering before the election but will now invite Imran Khan to this constituency,’’ he added.

Political observers believe that this is a prudent decision as it would have been very difficult to retain the seat in the even of by-elections as the PML-N has a majority government in Punjab as well as in the centre.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 2^nd, 2013.