SARGODHA: Saeed Akbar Niwani, a central leader of the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP), has announced to contest the upcoming polls from NA-91 (Bhakkar-I) and PP-91 (Bhakkar-III), refusing to accept support from any party, in total disregard of seat adjustment strategy of Jahangir Tareen’s party and the PML-N.

Niwani was made IPP president of Sargodha Division on August 12, 2023.

He was elected as an MPA from Bhakkar-III in 2018 general elections as a PTI nominee. However, he was de-seated in 2022 for supporting the PML-N, in violating of the PTI policy.

Niwani has been getting elected as an MPA since 1985 and also remained provincial minister.

He was finally defeated in a bye-election in 2022 while contesting as a PML-N candidate against Irfan Ullah Khan Niazi, a PTI candidate.

As per local political observers, Niwani has decided to contest the Feb election as an independent candidate as IPP has apparently no considerable vote bank in Sargodha division.

Most probably, Niwani will have to again face PTI nominee Irfan Ullah Khan Niazi in the coming poll, they say.

POLL ARRANGEMENTS: Commissioner Muhammad Ajmal Bhatti has directed the deputy commissioners of the four districts to submit their logistics and contingency plans for the upcoming polls in the next meeting.

He gave these orders at a meeting held here on Saturday to review the poll arrangements in the division.

He ordered the DCs to identify sensitive polling stations in their respective areas and ensure installation of the CCTV cameras there.

Besides completing the polling scheme, he said that arrangements for provision of vehicles for the election staff and security officers and employees should also be ensured.

The commissioner said that according to the government instructions, employees of the health department will be exempted from election duty.

The meeting was attended by Sargodha DC and the heads of all departments in the

district, while DCs of Khushab and Mianwali and AC Bhakkar gave a briefing through video link.

The four deputy commissioners said that the transportation plans have been completed.

A control room has been established at the district headquarters and a focal person has been appointed to monitor the election activities.

The commissioner was told by his subordinates that polling scheme has been finalised, while the training of the polling staff has been completed.

Emergency and security plans for the polls have also been finalised, he was informed.

Published in Dawn, January 7th, 2024