DERA ISMAIL KHAN: Five members of the family of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, including his two sons and two brothers, are contesting the upcoming elections, while two women of his family have also been nominated for the reserved seats.

The Maulana’s elder son Maulana Asad Mahmood is contesting elections from NA-45, Tank-cum-Dera Ismail Khan, while his youngest son, Asjad Mehmood is contesting from NA-41, Lakki Marwat.

Asad had won the Tank NA seat in the 2018 elections.

After the new census, this constituency has been slightly altered, and it now also includes Dera’s Yarik area and the Maulana’s native Paniala area.

The JUI-F chief’s brother, Senator Maulana Atta ur Rehman had also won the Tank-cum-Dera seat twice in the past.

Fazlur Rehman himself is contesting from NA-44, Dera Ismail Khan, while he has also submitted nomination papers from Pishin, Balochistan.

From NA-45, the Maulana’s youngest brother, Maulana Obaidur Rehman, is contesting for the first time.

In the 2018 elections, the Maulana himself had contested the NA-44 and NA-45 seats, which were earlier NA-38 and NA-39, and lost.

The Maulana’s another brother, Maulana Lutfur Rehman, is contesting from PK-114, Prova. Mr Lutfur has won this seat twice.

The names of Mr Rehman’s two sisters-in-law have also been finalised for reserved seats for women.

Shahida Akhtar Ali’s name is included for the National Assembly.

She has been elected to reserved seats for women several times in the past.

Rehana Ismail’s name has also been added to the seats reserved for women in the provincial assembly.

Published in Dawn, January 14th, 2024