The re-election follows a lengthy legal battle after the May 11 general elections, wherein PPP candidate Sardar Hussain contested the marginal electoral victory of APML’s Ghulam Muhammad in the election tribunal which ordered re-polling on December 12 last year. PHOTO: AFP/FILE
Candidates of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and All Pakistan Muslim League (APML) are bracing for a tough fight as re-election takes place at seven polling stations of PK-90, Chitral-II today.
The re-election follows a lengthy legal battle after the May 11 general elections, wherein PPP candidate Sardar Hussain contested the marginal electoral victory of APML’s Ghulam Muhammad in the election tribunal which ordered re-polling on December 12 last year.
The re-election bid has also gained importance in the backdrop of recent dissent within Pakistan Tehreek-e- Insaf (PTI) ranks as they could be gaining the support of one more lawmaker in the provincial assembly.
The seven polling stations where polls will be held again are Government High School Barum, Government Primary School Zizdi, Government Middle School Rech, Government Girls High School Booni, Government Primary School Charun Ovir, Government Primary School Awi Lasht and Government Primary School Mastuj.
Earlier, Muhammad had been declared the winner with a lead of just seven votes. However, his victory was challenged in the election tribunal, which, after recounting of postal ballots and rejected votes, ordered re-election. Hussain was leading the race with one vote after the recount.
The number of voters at the seven polling stations is around 5,000 and both candidates are going all out to bring the maximum number of voters to the polling booths.
Earlier, on April 9, PPP’s district leadership alleged that the provincial government was backing the APML candidate. They cast doubt on the motive of PTI provincial president Azam Swati’s visit to Chitral and said he was canvassing for Muhammad.
However, Swati told reporters in Chitral on Saturday that as Muhammad had supported the government during the election for the chief minister, he (Swati) was supporting him in his individual capacity. The PTI’s provincial chief spent two days in Upper Chitral where the election is taking place.
Muhammad’s win is likely to boost the dissent-stricken coalition government of PTI as he has previously supported the party on various occasions. Though he represents a single vote, the partnership with the APML candidate is more important following rumours of discord within the party as well as Qaumi Watan Party’s separation from the coalition government.
On the other hand, reports have surfaced of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl’s (JUI-F) support for the PPP candidate in some places as both parties are also part of a tripartite alliance for local government elections at the provincial level.
Mohammad Wazir Khan, a PPP leader from Upper Chitral, appeared confident of Hussain’s victory. “Sardar’s position is very strong and he is likely to win,” he said, adding Swati was in the district to campaign for the APML candidate but the local population is very sensitive towards outsiders’ attempts to influence the polls and will thus go against the APML candidate.
Wazir said being part of the tripartite alliance, JUI-F was supporting the PPP candidate at some polling stations.
Voters of Chitral district elect one National Assembly (NA) member and two provincial assembly members. The other MPA from Chitral is PPP’s Saleem Khan from PK-89, Chitral-I and NA-32 was clinched by Shahzada Iftikharuddin.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 13th, 2014.
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The APML with all backing of Army Generals of Al-Faeda Group have lost the election. This is a clear indication that General (Retarded) Musharraf has no political future at all.