SWABI: The leaders of Swabi Democratic Alliance (SDA) showed optimism on Sunday to win the upcoming by-election in PK-44, Swabi-II, against Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, Pakistan Peoples Party, Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl, Awami National Party, Qaumi Watan Party and Jamaat-i-Islami all have joined hands on the SDA platform against the ruling party and vowed to support ANP candidate Ghulam Hassan in the Oct 14 by-elections.

“It would be a great embarrassment for all the alliance partners if we face defeat despite the electoral alliance of so many parties,” said Mohammad Jamil advocate, a QWP leader.

Asad Qaiser had vacated PK-44 seat after July 25 polls

In July 25 elections, Asad Qaiser, the incumbent National Assembly Speaker, had got 31,658 votes from this constituency, ANP candidate Gul Zamin Shah 20,801 and Babar Saleem of PML-N 17,998 votes. Aqibullah Khan is the PTI candidate in coming by-election in PK-44, which was vacated by his brother Mr Qaiser.

The SDA leaders said that the total votes of PML-N and ANP candidates in July 25 electionswere 38,799 and if the alliance partners worked hard and reached their workers the ANP leader would win the by-election.

Former PPP district president Javid Inqilabi and former PML-N MPA Mohammad Shiraz said that it would be a humiliation for them if Mr Hassan faced defeat on Oct 14. They said that they had to tighten their belts and approach all the voters.

PML-N PROTEST: Local PML-N leaders staged a protest demonstration against the arrest of their party president Shahbaz Sharif by National Accountability Bureau. They gathered at the party’s district office and marched from there to Karnal Sher Khan Chowk where their leaders addressed them. They were holding placards inscribed with anti-government slogans. They criticised the PTI government for arresting their central president and opposition leader in the National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif before the upcoming by-election. They claimed that the arrest was made to pave the way for victory of the ruling party candidates.

District president Shiraz Khan and general secretary Dildar Khan said that the arrest of Mr Shahbaz was an act of victimisation.

Meanwhile, MPA Rangaiz Khan’s father, who passed away on Sunday, was laid to rest in his ancestral graveyard in Baja village. His funeral was attended by politicians, officials of the district administration and local people.

KILLED: A watchman of local bazaar in Ismaila was killed by unidentified assailants on Saturday night during his duty, said police. Afsar Ali, 61, was the sole bread earner of his family. Registering an FIR in Kalu Khan police station, wife of the deceased said that they had no enmity with anyone. Police have registered the case.

Published in Dawn, October 8th, 2018