MANSEHRA, July 5: The campaign for the by-election to the office of district Nazim and Naib Nazim of Mansehra, due on July 14, is now in full swing.

Only two panels of candidates are in the run after the withdrawal of nomination papers by JUI (F)’s Mufti Kifayatullah and Faiz Mohammad Khan, a cousin of senator Mohammad Azam Khan Swati.

One penal is of former senator Syed Qasim Shah in which the candidate for Naib Nazim is Shujaat Ali Khan, a lawyer by profession and son of a former district chief of the Jamat-i-Islami. The candidate for the slot of district Nazim in the opposite penal is Syed Ahmad Shah, son of former senator Syed Muzamil Shah who is a retired lieutenant commander of the Pakistan Air Force.

The candidate for Naib Nazim in Ahmad Shah’s penal is a local leader of JI, Syed Abdulber Shah Sherazi, who is also a lawyer by profession.

The penal of Syed Qasim Shah appears to have an edge over the penal of Syed Ahmad Shah as most of the people from the group of senator Mohammad Azam Khan Swati have switched over to the former’s penal.

Syed Qasim Shah has the support of former provincial minister, and now the spokesman for the independent group in the NWFP assembly, Shahzada Mohammad Gustasap Khan.

The Syed Ahmad Shah penal commands support of Sardar Mohammad Yousaf, an elder of the Gujjar tribe, and a former MNA and the provincial general secretary of the PML(Q).

Sardar Yousaf has a considerable vote bank in Konsh, Bhoga-rmang and Kaghan valleys. However, the political observers here believe that Syed Ahmad Shah might not bag all the votes of the Gujjar tribe.

Opinion

Editorial

Gruesome murders
Updated 12 Jul, 2025

Gruesome murders

Long-term security can only be achieved when there is equitable development across Balochistan.
Solar policy
12 Jul, 2025

Solar policy

SOLAR net metering reforms are back in the limelight. On Thursday, Power Minister Awais Leghari announced that he...
New hope
12 Jul, 2025

New hope

EDUCATION shapes the destiny of a nation. Sadly, Pakistan’s public education sector is experiencing a national...
PIA privatisation
Updated 11 Jul, 2025

PIA privatisation

While it does give the privatisation authorities a much-needed head-start, it will not be sustainable unless preceded by policy and regulatory reforms.
Beyond expectations
11 Jul, 2025

Beyond expectations

THESE are tough times, but the country is lucky enough to still be considered home by a large expatriate workforce,...
Train in vain
11 Jul, 2025

Train in vain

TALK of ‘revival’ of the long-dead Karachi Circular Railway has turned into a running joke for denizens of this...