PESHAWAR: The by-election on provincial assembly seat, PK-8 Peshawar, is a test case for all major political parties as every candidate of every party claims to be in a strong position to win the polls.

All the parties have fielded their own candidates instead of forming alliances with other parties.

The by-election has also caused rift in the tripartite alliance of PPP, JUI-F and ANP as none of these parties is ready to withdraw its candidate in the favour of its partners. Every political party has started efforts to muster support of other parties but no consensus has so far been developed in this regard.

The JUI-F, PPP and PTI are deemed as main contenders in the election but of them PTI is facing some internal differences and is yet to overcome the crisis.

PPP has allotted ticket to its candidate in the previous elections Malik Tehmash, who had lost the last to PML-N candidate Arbab Akbar Hayat, who passed away on March 17, 2016 due to cardiac arrest in Peshawar and the seat fell vacant.

Despite hectic efforts made by PML-N leadership, rest of political parties did not withdraw their candidates in support of its candidate Arbab Waseem, the son-in-law of the deceased lawmaker (Arbab Akbar Hayat).

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Iqbal Zaffar Jhargra had also invited parliamentary leaders of various political parties including Chief Minister Pervez Khattak to seek their support in the by-polls but it seems that none of the parties responded positively.

JUI-F local leadership is of the firm belief that its allies will support its candidate Asif Iqbal Daudzai, a runner up on the seat, but to no avail.

Published in Dawn, April 11th, 2016