MULTAN, Sept 22: The graduation bar which did hit some individuals has failed to keep traditional feudal clans in southern Punjab away from politics.

The only casualty to the graduation condition is the Abbasi royal of former Bahawalpur state. Winner of all the last four elections from former NA-141 Nawab Salahuddin Ahmad Abbasi and thrice winner from NA-142 Sahibzada Farooq Anwar Abbasi are no more in the electoral arena courtesy the graduation condition.

But in rest of the 12 districts of south Punjab, the old ruling clans are very much in the electoral scene. The main political parties — the PPP, the PML-N and the PML-QA — have also shown generosity in awarding tickets to these traditional political families. Specially, the PML-QA has included in its folds all sorts of potential but turncoats.

Where the influential clans could not field their candidates owing to the graduation condition, now there kith and kin are vying for their families’ respective stronghold constituencies.

Similarly, where these conservative clans could not find any educated male scion, they have not hesitated in bringing their graduate female family members to the electoral arena. “The hard core feudals do not want to lose their power bases no matter if they have to break their family norms,” observed a political analyst.

However, it’s another thing that how these families have made them a source of fun as not even their female candidates are away from electioneering, but there are also photographs of their disqualified fathers, brothers or husbands on posters and handbills instead of the (female) candidates. The name of a female candidate is being given on election-related literature in a reduced form while the name of the man she is representing is in boldface.

The sane Qureshi, Gillani, Basan, Diwan, Laang, Noon and Khakwani families have won the backing of main political parties in Multan district especially in its rural constituencies. An identical situation is in Khanewal where the Syeds, Hirajs, Dahas, Qureshis and Bodlas are contesting on the main seats.

In Lodhran, the Kanjus, Noons, Balochs and Awans are enjoying the support of any of the three main political parties. Vehari is again heading to see another term in power of Kitchis, Daultanas and Manhais.

The Manikas, Chishtis, Joiyas, Khagas and Tikkas are very much in at Pakpattan while Rais, Rameys, Lodhis and Chaudhrys are vying to rule the roost in Sahiwal district. In Bahawalnagar, the Lalikas, Chaudhrys, Matianas and Sindhus are pitched to decide the fate of the area and its people. Likewise, Makhdooms, Rais and Legharis are in electoral arena, that too, with the backing of main political parties in Rahimyar Khan district.

Dera Ghazi Khan and Rajanpur districts are likely to return old political guards from the houses of Legharis, Khosas, Qasranis, Bozdars, Dreshaks, Gurchanis and Mazaris. Similarly, the electorate will see the power struggle in Layyah among Jakharrs, Thinds, Seharrs and Pirs of Swag Sharif.

In Muzaffargarh district, some of the influential families like Khars and Qureshis of Kot Addu and Nawabzadas of Khangarh have to use the name of their graduate women to remain in the lists. For instance, Mohsin Ali Qureshi of the PPP has fielded his wife, Khalida Qureshi, for NA-176 and former minister Noor Rabbani Khar has to use the graduation degree of his daughter, Hina Rabbani Khar, for NA-177. She is vying on PML-Q ticket while her cousin, Basit Khar, is contesting from the same constituency on PML-N ticket. After the shortage of graduates in the family, Basit was called back from the United States to keep intact the dominance of the Khars in the area.

Sonia Mansoor, the granddaughter of Nawabzada Nasrullah, is a candidate for PP-256 on PDP ticket after the disqualification of her father, former minister Nawabzada Mansoor, for submitting a fake degree. The PDP has also fielded another woman candidate, Erum Waheed, for PP-254. Her brother, Khalid, is Naib Nazim of Muzaffargarh tehsil along Nazim Nawabzada Israr Ahmad, the son of PDP chief Nawabzada Nasrullah.