KASUR: PPP, PML-N, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and female independent candidates for NA-137 seem in good health for the July 25 vote.

PML-N candidates for NA-137 and its sub-constituency PP-174 Saad Waseem and Naeem Safdar are trying to invoke sympathy among the voters as the father of PML-N candidate former MNA Waseem Akhtar is in jail due to his anti-judiciary tirade while Mr Safdar was acquitted of the charge. Both candidates started their campaign three weeks ago. They say the imprisonment of Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz would create a sympathy wave for them.

Also, PML-N, PPP and PTI have provincial candidates from the Ansari clan because of its majority in the constituency. The vote of Ansari biradari in PP-174 would be divided between PTI, PML-N, PPP and Tehreek-i-Labaik candidates.

PPP candidate Chaudhry Manzoor Ahmed saw a wonderful boost in his campaign after the visit of PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari to the Kasur city late on Thursday. Mr Ahmed also played some other moves to brighten his chance to win the race.

He withdrew PPP candidate for PP-176 Munir Ahmed, his elder brother, in favour of Barrister Shahid Masood. Mr Masood, who was denied PTI ticket, is now an independent candidate. In PP-174, he smartly took Shabir Ansari under his wings. Recently, he also got support of Khara Union Council Chairman Anwar Maqarab from Khara union council.

PTI candidate Sardar Assef Ahmed Ali managed to win the support of annoyed ticket aspirant Mehar Muhammad Saleem and several other old party workers on Wednesday. Earlier, Mr Ali was relying on PTI ideological votes and his traditional pockets besides his PP candidate Maqsood Sabir Ansari and his Arian clan. In the eyes of political analysts, this is a significant move and he can get more votes than he and the PTI are expecting.

Independent candidate Nasira Mayo is relying on her Mewat clan vote and the development work in Mustafabad and its suburb areas, she had got done during the previous PPP regime.

Recently, she also got the support of a former PML-N parliamentarian of the same clan who is not contesting election. Since she was denied PPP ticket, she is contesting election as an independent and in provincial constituencies she has the support of five independent candidates, all from Mewat clan.

In PP-174, PTI’s Maqsood Sabir was flying high until the PPP candidate for the same constituency ran a massive campaign. Now, analysts observe a tough contest between PTI and PPP candidates.

Published in Dawn, July 22nd, 2018