DERA GHAZI KHAN: Electioneering for nine union councils of Dera Ghazi Khan tribal area has entered the last phase while the Balochistan National Party has announced boycott of the election in two constituencies because of rejection of their nomination papers.

As many as 147,272 registered voters, including 62,766 women, will exercise their right to vote on Dec 5 in tribal area.

Returning Officer Shahid Mehboob told Dawn that 108 polling stations and 216 booths, including 108 for women, had been established. Seventy polling stations were declared sensitive.

As many as 35 panels of chairman and vice chairman are contesting local polls. These include four panels of PTI and three of PML-N, one each of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam and Balochistan National Party.

It merits mentioning that Balochistan National Party candidates have announced boycott of the election as a mark of protest against rejection of their nomination papers. On the other hand, the returning officer was of the opinion that the party’s candidates could not submit nomination papers on time.

Khosas extend support to different parties

Tribal elders Mir Badshah Qaisrani, Fateh Mohammad Khan Buzdar and Jamal Khan Leghari are steering campaign in favour of their candidates while Khosa tribal chief Senator Zulfiqar Ali Khan Khosa is facing opposition in his family as his son Saifuddin Khosa is supporting Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf and his cousin MNA Amjad Farooq Khan Khosa is backing PML-N candidates.

After parting ways with PML-N, Senator Zulfiqar Khosa and his youngest son Dost Mohammad Khosa have fielded independent candidates. The Zulfiqar Khosa group is facing a tough time by the candidates backed by his son Saifuddin of PTI and his cousin MNA Amjad Farooq Khosa of PML-N in Tuman Khosa of Dera Ghazi Khan tribal area.

Two union councils -- Phugla and Mithwan -- are dominated by Qaisrani tribe while PML-N candidates backed by tribal chief seem to be in a better position.

It is interesting that one Habib and his wife Kousar Bibi are contesting election as independent candidates for Tuman Qaisrani topl slots.

Buzdar tribe is dominant in four union councils - Fazla, Barthi, Theekar and Mubarki - and has always been a single largest winning group of tribal area.

Jaafar Khan Buzdar, son of tribal chief Fateh Mohammad Khan Buzdar, is contesting for Mubarki UC.

The group of tribal chief can win three union councils easily while there is a tough contest between candidates backed by tribal chief and other independent candidates in Theekar UC.

Published in Dawn, December 2nd, 2015