TAXILA, Dec 17: Unlike Islamabad where there are no signs of an election campaign even though only three weeks remain for the contest, the peripheral towns of Taxila and Wah are heating up for the polling day as seven sturdy combatants face each other for the coveted seat of NA-53, of them three represent arch rivals of the old guard — former Federal Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan, PML-N stalwart Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan and independent candidate, Faisal Iqbal.

The constituency of NA-53 comprises Taxila and Wah Cantt on the one side and miles away Chakri and Sahil with a total of 3,43,160 voters including 1,67,574 of Taxila-Chakri and 1,75,586 in rural and urban areas of Wah Cantonment. It is a varied mix of population that makes it difficult for candidates to push their weight around.

The ‘Q’ League candidate Ghulam Sarwar Khan is the defending champion having this seat in the last elections.

He has been campaigning since smell the polls and enjoys the support of eight of 10 union councils’ nazims besides the tehsil nazim. He is claiming credit for five mega projects.

PML-N candidate Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan who was runner up in the previous general elections, has launched his election campaign late in the day and seems to be banking on his party’s deep roots in the masses. The party was in a state of despondency prior to the arrival of Nawaz Sharif and also due to the heavy crack down on workers since his forced deportation to Saudi Arabia. But this pall of gloom has lifted since the arrival of the Sharif brothers.

Facing them is independent candidate, Faisal Iqbal, a businessman-turned-politician, who is also called “Edhi of Wah Cantonment” to whose credit are several development projects in Taxila and Wah Cantonment. He has a strong vote bank in the area. It is the first time in the political history of Taxila that an independent candidate would be giving tough time to the old guards and seasoned politicians of the area and cause an upset if he wins or his dividing vote turns the tables on one of the traditional rivals.

Taxila, once known as “Mini Larkana” with a strong vote bank for PPP, but differences among its local leadership over grant of party tickets has made the election prospects of the party shaky.

An important factor that may play a deciding role in the final outcome is the Biradari system. The Khattar, Kashmiri and Gujjar biradaris (clans) are in a majority in this constituency and all of the biradaris have fielded their own candidates in this constituency for the January 08 polls.