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.

Instead of forming alliance, every party has fielded its own candidate

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. JUI-F claims to be more effective in the constituency but it has also failed to muster support of its allies in the tripartite alliance.

A single meeting of the alliance was also not convened to discuss current situation including the by-polls despite the fact that Maulana Shujaul Mulk of Mardan is leading the alliance as its president.

PPP, a member of the tripartite alliance, has focused its full attention on this seat and its chairman Bilawal Bhutto has also instructed provincial leadership of the party to take all possible steps for winning the by-polls.

According to PPP provincial general secretary Humayun Khan, the party chief has focused entire attention on reorganisation of the party in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and also given them three-month time to submit names of all newly elected office-bearers of different districts of the province.

An insider said that PTI was facing some internal differences over the allotment of ticket and in case provincial leadership failed to control the internal crisis it would be unable to compete with other parties in the by-polls.

ANP and Qaumi Watan Party have also sought applications from the aspirants for allotment of ticket but these parties are yet to disclose names of their candidates. Jamaat-i-Islami has already nominated Fazlullah Daudzai as its candidate while PML-Q has named Arbab Mir Afzal as its candidate for the by-polls.

A huge number of independent candidates are also in the run for the by-election. The by-election will be held on May 12 and the electioneering is getting momentum gradually.

Published in Dawn, April 11th, 2016