The Gandapur family has strong political roots in the constituency, but persistent backwardness might force a change. PHOTO: EXPRESS/FILE
The constituency PK-67 DI Khan-4, which covers the area of Kulachi in Damaan Valley of the Suleman Range, is the most underdeveloped tehsil of DI Khan district. Preparations for by-polls on December 15 are in full swing by all contenders for the seat.
The family factor
The Pukhtun tribes of Gandapur and Mian Khel are the main inhabitants of the constituency. After first coming into power in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) provincial assembly in 1970, the Gandapur family has retained stronghold of the constituency. Sardar Inayatullah Khan served as the provincial finance minister that year and as chief minister of the province from 1973-1975.
While the Gandapur family has such deeply embedded roots that they barely face any competition in elections, things might change in the upcoming by-elections. Independent candidate Fataullah Khan is expected to put up a tough fight against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate Ikramullah Khan Gandapur.
“It is not the party ticket but the influence of the Gandapur family that will win the seat for PTI in the upcoming polls,” said journalist Mustansar Baloch.
The seat has remained vacant since Israrullah Khan Gandapur died in a suicide attack on October 16. The deceased leader had won the seat as an independent candidate and had previously won from the constituency in the 2002 and 2008 general elections. The last time, however, he joined the K-P government on the ticket of Imran Khan’s PTI.
A DI Khan-based local daily, Atidal’s Chief Editor Irfan Mughal told The Express Tribune, “Similar to what happened in the past, the PTI candidate’s position is strong enough to withhold any challenge, because of the longstanding family influence, the slogan of change of PTI that has attracted the public and sympathies generated from the death of his brother.”
“The traditions of the Gandapur tribe are such where the people out of respect and honour for their Sardar usually vote for his family,” said Mughal.
Other national parties, including Pakistan Peoples Party and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, do not have much of a political base in the constituency. However, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl, which has a respectable vote bank in the area, was earlier supporting Ikramullah Gandapur, on the basis of harbouring sympathies for his slain brother, before the candidate announced he will contest on PTI’s ticket.
Shifting loyalties
In the lead up to the general elections, Israrullah, who was contesting as an independent, had reached a seat adjustment with the JUI-F in the early stages of campaigning.
The JUI-F completely supported Israrullah and its activists even participated in his election campaigns, especially in Israrullah’s constituency PK-67. However, the political scenario change after Israrullah joined PTI, JUI-F’s arch-rival. Israrullah’s decision lost him the support of JUI-F and its activists in his constituency but the party still remained in touch with the former minister because of his family background.
JUI-F DI Khan spokesperson Chaudhry Ishfaq told The Express Tribune this time around the party was supporting Ikramullah as well before he was awarded PTI’s ticket. He said the JUI-F supported Ikramullah because the party believes in Pukhtun norms and traditions, and respected his late brother. “We wanted Ikram to win the seat, and represent his family and region in the provincial assembly,” he added.
Ishfaq, however, remained silent about the PTI’s support to Ikramullah and hinted JUI-F would remain partial; it will neither support him nor oppose him.
The provincial government has also been backing and lobbying for Ikramullah Gandapur. Prior to the month of Muharram, K-P Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser travelled to DI Khan and held a jirga with Fataullah Mian Khel and asked him to step down in favour of Ikramullah Gandapur. However, Fataullah insisted he will contest the election and claimed he will emerge victorious from the seat. Both candidates have remained busy in their campaigns.
It was also learned that Asad Qaiser offered Fataullah funds and appointment as an adviser to the chief minister if he withdrew himself from the race, however, Fataullah refused.
Great expectations
While addressing a public gathering at Gura Baloch-Kulachi, PTI candidate Ikramullah said he came forward to complete his brother’s mission, to bring development and prosperity to the people of Kulachi.
Abdur Rehman Gandapur, a fruit vendor at Tank Adda, DI Khan who migrated in search of livelihood, told The Express Tribune that poverty forced him to move to the district. He claimed he found it difficult to feed his family while working in Kulachi.
The vendor claimed they did not have access to clean drinking water, there are no schools for their children’s education, and the land in the area is fertile but the lack of irrigation facilities hamper cultivation. He said he had voted for Israrullah Gandapur in the general elections as he had promised change. The vendor remained hopeful that Ikramullah might live up to the promises made by the slain leader and, perhaps ,change was around the corner.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 5th, 2013.
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Gundapur will win it by 60-40 (maybe even more)