PML-N’s MNA Asadur Rehman from Kamalia. PHOTO: FILE
In Kamalia, the Ali Baba Group, comprising independents, is in a strong position after differences arose between the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) MNA and MPA from the area.
The Kamalia Municipal Committee comprises 34 wards with 70,482 registered voters: 38,869 men and 31,613 women. A total of 70 polling stations and 172 polling booths have been set up in Kamalia.
Kamalia comprises National Assembly constituency NA-94. PML-N’s Asadur Rehman, a younger brother of former Supreme Court judge Khalilur Rehman Ramday, won the seat in 2013. Kamalia’s provincial constituency, PP-88, also returned a PML-N ticket-holder, Nazia Raheel, during the last general elections.
In Kamalia city, there are 230 candidates in the run. Out of them, 153 are independents, followed by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s (PTI) 34, PML-N’s 33, Pakistan Awami Tehreek’s (PAT) seven, Pakistan People’s Party’s (PPP) two and Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid’s (PML-Q) one.
Murtaza Ali Khan Kharal, a nephew of former federal minister Khalid Khan Kharal, has been elected unopposed chairman of UC-62. Syed Akhtar Abbas Kirmani has been elected unopposed from UC-63.
For the rest of Kamalia’s 10 union councils, 42 panels are in the run for the top slots. Twenty-eight of them are independent, eight are from the PML-N and six from the PTI. The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has declared 27 polling stations sensitive. Two non-Muslim candidates are contesting the elections for councillorship.
MNA Rehman is actively canvassing for PML-N candidates.
Interestingly, MPA Nazia Raheel is opposing candidates supported by Rehman. Political pundits believe that their differences will take a toll on the PML-N campaign. The tussle has mainly benefited the PTI and Ali Baba Group.
The PTI candidates are also supported by former MNA Riaz Fatyana. Most candidates are trying to win over voters on the basis of biradaris. A number of them are also trying to enlist the support of sajjada nasheens of various shrines.
The biggest gaddi nasheen in the area is Pir Syed Qutab Ali Shah alias Ali Baba. He is a nephew of former prime minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani and son of former MNA Pir Syed Abrar Hussain.
He was a PPP ticket-holder in the 2013 general elections from NA-94 (Kamalia-Pir Mehal) and had got 66,000 votes.
Pir Baba has fielded candidates in all 12 union councils of Kamalia as well as in Pir Mehal, Toba Tek Singh and Gojra.
Pir Baba has already won the UC-61 chairman’s seat. A number of candidates who were offered tickets by various political parties preferred to contest the elections from the Ali Baba panel.
The PML-N received another setback with the death of former MPA Syed Ali Raza from PP-89, comprising Sandilianwali and Kamalia. Pir Baba has taken full advantage of the situation.
PTI Punjab vice president Chaudhry Muhammad Ashfaq is also making all-out efforts to win the zila council chairmanship in Kamalia MC. Rae Ziaullah Khan, Rae Ateequr Rehman, Malik Amjad Yaqoob and Muhammad Sharif are also strong candidates for the chairman’s office. Talking to The Express Tribune, Shahid Iqbal, a veteran PPP supporter, expressed dismay over the erosion of his party’s popularity. “Kamalia was once known as a PPP fortress. Its Awam Dost Group used to win many seats in local elections in the past. It is the first time that local elections are being held on a party basis, but the PPP is entirely missing from the scene. None of the PPP leaders have taken any interest in the elections,” he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 18th, 2015.
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