NOWSHERA: The elections in the two cantonment boards here on Saturday would prove a test case for the political parties to weigh their public support at grassroots level before the upcoming local government elections.

For the purpose, political parties have formed alliances to ensure their success. It is to mention here that no political party has fielded any woman contestant for the total seven seats of cantonments, except Ms Nisar, a retired police officer, who is contesting as an independent from ward 1 of Risalpur cantonment.

On the last day of the campaign, candidates remained busy in contacting the voters to show their power. Posters and banners have also been hung up along streets, on plazas, walls, shops and homes to lure the voters.

From ward-1 of Nowshera Cantonment Board, Raja Syed of ANP, Fayaz Khan of PTI, Nusrat Ali of PML-N, and independents Bakht Baz, Arshullah Jan and Mohammad Iftikhar are in the fray. Similarly, Wajid Qayyum of ANP, Zulfiqar Ahmad of PTI, and independents Abid Mehmood Afghani, Fayaz Mohammad, Mehboob Ahmad Sheikh and Mohammad Arif are contesting from ward-2.

Those contesting from ward-3 include Mohammad Ashraf of ANP, Safdar Shabab of PPP, Shahid Hussain Shah of JI, and independents Noorul Basar, Mohammad Amir and Shahzaib. Similarly, Mohammad Sadiq of ANP, Mohammad Saleem Mughal of JI, Ziarat Gul of PPP, and independents Mohammad Faiq and Mohammad Ismail are contesting from ward-4.

A tough contest is likely among the 15 candidates on three seats of Risalpure Cantonment Board. Abid Mashwani of PTI, Tariq Iqbal of ANP, Asghar Khan of PML-N, and independents Ms Nisar and Sheikh Hafeez are contesting from ward-1 of Risalpure cantonment.

Similarly, Aurangzeb Khan of PTI, Sultan advocate of PML-N, Dr Haq Nawaz of ANP, and independents Nasir and Mohammad Aslam are vying for election in ward-2.

Only two candidates, Syed Nadeem Shah Tipu and Mumen Bakhsh, independents, are contesting from Ward-3. However, it is expected that Mr Tipu would likely to win the election as various candidates of political parties have withdrawn in his favour.

Published in Dawn, April 25th, 2015

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