DERA GHAZI KHAN: Former MNA Saifuddin Khosa, son of Senator Zulfiqar Ali Khan Khosa, is contesting from Chhabri Zaireen Union Council (UC) on a Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) ticket, while his cousin Abdul Qadir Khosa, son of Amjad Farooq Khosa, is contesting from Shah Saddar Din UC on a PML-N ticket.

The group led by Senator Zulfiqar Khosa, however, is opposing both candidates from the Khosa family and backing an independent candidate.

In the Leghari-dominated Chhoti Zaireen UC, Ahmad Khan Leghari, son of tribal elder Mansoor Ahmad Leghari, is contesting for the top slot of the UC.

According to local political pundits, the Leghari group of PML-N led by Jamal Khan Leghari is likely to secure maximum slots and emerge as the single largest group in the district.

Ahmad Leghari would be their candidate for chairman of the district council. Abdul Qadir Khosa of the PML-N and Saifuddin Khosa of the PTI would be the contenders for the district top slot.

In Kot Chhutta tehsil, the Leghari group appears to be in a better position and is likely to secure top slots of the tehsil. In Taunsa tehsil, there could to be a neck-to-neck contest between PML-N candidates backed by MNA Amjad Farooq Khosa and those supported by Khawaja Sheraz of the PTI.

Sources said Mir Badshah Qaisrani of the PML-N is supporting Khawaja Sheraz in Taunsa tehsil. This under-the-table alliance could change results of the tehsil.

Around 521 candidates, including a brigade of 333 independent candidates, are contesting in the upcoming local body elections in 115 union councils in the district.

There are 81 PML-N candidates, 82 PTI, 11 PPP, eight Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl, two Muttahida Qaumi Movement, one Jamaat-i-Islami, one Balochistan National Party and two from the Pakistan Awami Tehreek vying for various slots of union councils. The National Party has boycotted the local polls in protest against rejection of their papers.

The Election Commission of Pakistan has established 955 polling stations in the district where 1.1 million voters, including 59,865 women, would cast their votes.

Dera Ghazi Khan comprises Taunsa Sharif and Kot Chhutta municipal committees, Dera Ghazi Khan Municipal Corporation and nine union councils of tribal area.

BOOKED: Around 601 people were booked for violation of the code of conduct of local body elections in the district.

The district police registered cases against 601 political activists from various political parties and independent groups on charges of violating code of conduct set by the election commission.

In Taunsa Sharif, 95 people were booked in three cases under Section 188, while 370 were booked at City police in six cases. Further 74 people were booked by Kot Chhuta police and 60 by Sakhi Sarwar police.

Published in Dawn, December 3rd, 2015