UPPER DIR: A tough contest is expected between the Jamaat-i-Islami and Pakistan Peoples Party candidates in the by-election for provincial assembly seat PK-93, Wari, Upper Dir-III, for which polling will be held on Sept 15.

The seat had fallen vacant after disqualification of JI MPA Malik Behram Khan in a fake degree case. Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, Awami National Party and Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl have withdrawn their candidates in favour of PPP candidate Sanaullah to form a four-party alliance against the Jamaat.

JI candidate Azam Khan is being supported by its coalition partner Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf and Qaumi Watan Party.

The PK-93 has always been the stronghold of JI as its candidates had always won elections here, but this time political circles expect a tough competition between the two candidates.

Sources said that despite PTI’s announcement to support the JI candidate a lot its workers in PK-93 might not follow the decision. Even some of the disgruntled PTI workers are running a campaign for the PPP candidate. PTI local leader Malik Tariq Khan has appealed to the PTI voters to cast vote for the PPP candidate. He has made this appeal through social media.

The JI campaign was badly affected when the election commission recently imposed ban on the provincial ministers, MPAs and MNAs to run campaign for any of the candidates. The sources claimed that the expected visit of Chief Minister Pervez Khattak to Upper Dir in connection with the election campaign of JI candidate on Friday was cancelled owing to that reason.

There are a total of 57,708 women voters in the constituency who could play an important role in win of any candidate. The political parties, including JI, this time have been saying to bring out the women so they could cast vote. These parties are not ready to take any risk as in another constituency, PK-95, Lower Dir, Izazul Mulk of JI had won by-election, but the result has not been notified as yet due to the barring of women from casting votes.

Published in Dawn September 12th, 2015

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