VEHARI: Five women are contesting the direct election for three National Assembly constituencies of Vehari district.

Two of them are daughters of former MNA Nazir Jutt while two others belong to Daultana family, including Tehmina Daultana. The PPP has awarded tickets to two women candidates.

Former MNA Nazir Jutt’s nomination papers were rejected as he was already disqualified for a fake degree. He fielded his two daughters from the two National Assemblly constituencies. His daughter Ayesha Nazir Jutt is in the contest for NA-162 (Vehari-1) as an independent candidate against the PML-N’s Chaudhry Faqeer and PTI’s Chaudhry Khalid Chohan. Ayesha was a candidate of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) but the party changed its decision and took back the ticket to award it to its district president Khalid Chohan.

From the same constituency, Shagufta Chaudhry is contesting election as a PPP candidate. She is an office-bearer of PPP`s south Punjab and is contesting election for the first time.

Dr Arifa Nazir Jutt, the younger daughter of Nazir Jutt, is also contesting election for NA-163 (Vehari-II) as an independent candidate. Dr Arifa wanted to contest on the PTI’s ticket but the party refused to award her ticket and preferred Ishaq Khakwani over her. However, Arifa is sticking to the party and told Dawn that in case of her victory in the election, she would join the PTI.

Dr Arifa is up against Natasha Daultana, a PPP candidate, in the constituency. Natasha is the sister of the late Azeem Daultana who was an MNA when he died in an accident in 2012. After the death of her brother, she entered politics and was elected as MNA for first time in the by-election of 2012.

Natasha is the secretary general of South Punjab chapter of the PPP. She is contesting election against PML-N’s Sajid Shah, PTI’s Ishaq Khakwani besides Arifa Nazir Jutt.

In NA-164 (Vehari-111), PML-N stalwart Tehmina Daultana is contesting election against the PTI’ s Tahir Iqbal Chaudhry, a former MNA, and Rana Sagheer Guddu, an independent candidate.

Tehmina had lost the 2013 election against Tahir Iqbal Chaudhry who was an independent candidate. After his victory, he joined the PML-N but after disqualification of Nawaz Sharif, he joined the Janubi Punjab Sooba Mahaz and left the party. The PTI awarded him for NA-164. A tough contest is expected between Tehmina and Tahir in this constituency.

NA-165(Vehari-1V) is the only constituency of the four Vehri constituencies which has no woman candidate. In the 2013 election, six women had contested direct election from various constituencies of the district.

Vehari consists of four national and eight provincial assembly seats. The PML-N had won the last election in most of the constituencies but this time the PTI is likely to give it a tough time.

Published in Dawn, June 30th, 2018