ATTOCK, May 4: PML-N candidate for NA -58 Attock-II Malik Itabar Khan is struggling to win the seat of his father, late Malik Allahyar Khan of Kunda.

Malik Allahyar Khan won NA-58 in 2002 by bagging record 89,108 votes from the platform of PML-Q and defeating PML-N candidate Malik Sohail Khan, now in PTI.

Later, he was appointed Chairman, Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of National Assembly.

Despite affiliated with PML-Q, Malik Allahyar Khan had developed differences with the then district nazim Maj (retired) Tahir Sadiq Khan.

He had even formed a separate group in 2004’s local bodies election against Tahir Sadiq, brother-in-law of PML-Q President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain.

However, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain brought about rapprochement between the two groups during a meeting at PML House in Islamabad on August 31 2005.

A few months before dissolution of the assembly in 2008, Allahyar Khan suffered a chronic disease, which restricted him from participating in the general election.

Malik Allahyar then offered his seat to Ch Pervaiz Elahi which he won.

As a compensation, the PML-Q leadership offered ticket for PP-19 Attock-V to his son Malik Itabar which he won. However he later joined PML-N.

Allahyar Khan died at the age of 85 on April 4, 2008.

Now Malik Itabar is contesting for NA-58, but is facing a tough contest from his father’s arch rival Malik Suhail Khan of PTI and Tahir Sadiq of Major group.

His father late Allahyar remained member of Pakistan’s first parliament from August 1947 to October 1954.

He won both the 1985 and 1990 elections.

Though Allahyar’s son is contesting election, his absence is greatly felt by his voters and sympathisers.