SWABI: Although no schedule has been announced for the coming general elections by the Election Commission of Pakistan some candidates have started their election campaign by way of erecting huge billboards at prominent places to woo voters.

On Tuesday, Major retired Fazal Karim, who plans to contest the election from NA-13, Swabi-II as an independent candidate, started his election campaign by erecting a big billboard in Topi tehsil’s main bazaar.

The billboard contains a portrait where former army chief retired Gen Raheel Sharif shakes hands with him.

“The objective to display the photo of Gen Sharif is to show to the people that like the former army chief, the candidate has the ability and willingness to deliver,” commented a leader of Awami National Party.

Another candidate, who has displayed huge billboards, is Shah Nawaz Khan who has got the ANP ticket to contest the election from the same constituency.

The ANP is the only party which has awarded the party tickets on all the seats in the district.

Sources in Tarakai House and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf told Dawn that three leaders of provincial health minister Shahram Khan Tarakai’s family were planning to contest the coming elections. They are Mr Shahram, and his uncles MPA Mohammad Ali Tarakai and MNA Usman Khan Tarakai or former MPA Javid Khan Tarakai.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Speaker Asad Qaisar is likely to contest election from PK-35, Swabi-IV and NA-13.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz declared candidates are Dildar Khan from PK-31, Swabi-1, Sajjad Khan from PK-35 and MPA Shiraz Khan from PK-36, Swabi-VI, said the sources.

Masood Jabar, Qaumi Watan Party district chairman, would contest election from PK-31, and MPA Abdul Karim from PK-34, Swabi-IV.

Maulana Attaulhaq Dervish is contesting candidate of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazal from NA-13. Maulana Fazal Ali, JUI-F central naib emir, would contest polls from PK-35.

MPA Babar Saleem, who is also chairman of Swabi Qaumi Mahaz (SQM), would contest election from PK-31.

The position of Jamat-i-Islami candidates is not yet clear, but the insiders said its provincial head, Mushtaq Ahmad Khan, was expected to contest election from PK-32.

Published in Dawn, December 27th, 2017