SWABI: A low turnout is expected in the by-election on PK-44, Swabi-II, on Sunday (today) between Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf candidate Aqibullah Khan and his rival, Awami National Party’s Ghulam Hassan as voters believe that the rulers have failed to mitigate their economic hardships.

The seat was vacated by NA Speaker Asad Qaisar, who had also won the July 25 election from NA-18, Swabi-I.

Voters this correspondent spoke to in different localities of the constituency said a majority of people were no longer interested in visiting the polling stations like the July 25 general elections.

They said they always attached great expectations with leaders of political parties before every election, but their wrong policies and priorities had disappointed them.

“The fault is actually with the leadership which has failed to deliver,” said Qaisar Khan of Maneri Bala village, also the native area of ANP candidate.

Nural Zaman, a farmer from Pirtab village, said: “I don’t want to visit the polling station because I know that when the election is over then both the elected and defeated leaders would disappear.”

Rohal Amin, another local, said turnout in July 25 election was 45 per cent, but in the by-election it could hardly reach to 30 per cent.

The main reason cited by the people was hike in the prices of commodities, the prevailing economic difficulties and devaluing of rupee against the US dollar.

However, politicians said the reason of expected low turnout might be that there was one-to-one contest between Mr Aqib and Mr Hassan and other parties were not actively involved in the election.

Published in Dawn, October 14th, 2018