TAXILA: The political arena of Taxila and Wah is witnessing an unusual mobilisation with a record number of 64 candidates rolling up their selves for the two Punjab Assembly seats.

According to a list issued by the returning officers (ROs), 34 candidates are running for PP-19 Taxila and 30 are in the run for PP-20 Wah Cantt.

All former members of the provincial assembly belonging to PTI and PML as well as the JI, including PTI’s Ammar Sadeeq Khan (PP-19), PML-N’s Malik Umer Farooq, (PP-19) Taxila, Taimour Masood Akbar of PTI (PP-20) and Prof Waqas Khan of JI (PP-20) have filed their nomination papers.

The respective party leaderships have also given the green signal for allocation of tickets to the former members of the assembly.

On an average, around 10 candidates from both mainstream political parties — PTI and PML — have come to the fray in each provincial constituency while five to 10 ideological activists of these two parties have also submitted nomination papers.

Officials say 64 candidates are aspiring for PP-19 and PP-20

Moreover, electables are in the run but office-bearers or ideological workers of both the parties, who have made sacrifices in the past, have also entered the race against the expected candidates of their parties.

The political drama has put the common voters as well as diehard party workers in confusion over the electioneering process.

But according to political observers, the situation will be clear after the award of party tickets.

The most interesting situation is unfolding in the Punjab Assembly constituency PP-20 where two political bigwigs — former minister for aviation Ghulam Sarwar Khan and former provincial sports minister Taimour Masood Akbar — who both belong to PTI and contested the elections from same panel previously are vying for the party tickets for the upcoming polls.

According to the observers, candidates of Tehreek Labbaik Pakistan and JI are poised to give a tough time to opposing candidates due to their active vote bank.

Commenting on the issue of filing of nomination papers from more than one candidates, PML district president Malik Umer Farooq termed the move a “galaxy of democracy”.

He said that it is the constitutional and basic right of every eligible citizen to file nomination papers and apply for a ticket.

He said that the party would award tickets to only one and others have to follow the party’s decision and discipline.

Former provincial sports minister Tamour Masood Akbar, who developed differences with Ghulam Sarwar Khan, is facing opposition from his own party’s local ranks and the Khan Group has launched Malik Azmat Mehmood to challenge him.

According to party sources, if Mr Mehmood failed to secure a ticket he would contest as an independent to dent Mr Taimour’s vote bank.

Various aspirant candidates have also aggressively launched lobbying to secure a party ticket. Barrister Aqeel Malik, a PML candidate has made marathon lobbying to secure a ticket for himself as well as for his uncle by meeting party supermeo Nawaz Sharif in London, Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif and party chief organiser Maryum Nawaz in Lahore.

In a tit for tat, another party candidate from PP-19 Taxila held a number of meetings with party

senior leadership in Lahore as well as Islamabad prominent among them being Finance Minister Ishaq Dar.

Another candidate Haji Ibrar Dildar Khan also held a series of meetings with the “decision makers” of the party in a bid to get their trust for securing a ticket.

According to returning officer Salman Akbar Warraich, scrutiny of nomination papers of the candidates began from Saturday while appeals can be filed against the decisions of the returning officers regarding rejection or acceptance of the nomination papers on March 27.

He said April 3 will be the last date for deciding on the appeals by the appellate tribunal and the revised lists of candidates will be published on April 4. Withdrawal of candidatures can be done till April 5. The candidates will be allotted election symbols on April 6.

“Polling for the election of Punjab Assembly will be held on April 30,” he added.

Published in Dawn, March 19th, 2023