MARDAN: Electioneering is gaining momentum in Mardan district as candidates of different political parties and independent aspirants for the upcoming general elections have expedited their campaigns.

Mardan is considered the second largest district of Khyber Pakhtunkwha after Peshawar has a total population of more than 2.5 million.

The number of total registered voters in the district is 1,538,078 and 841,696 of them are men and 696,382 are women for three national and eight provincial assembly seats.

A total of 42 candidates are in the run for three seats of National Assembly including NA-21, NA-22 and NA-23. Fourteen candidates are contesting polls for NA-21. Total registered voters in the constituency are 521,739.

42 candidates are in the run for three NA seats

Prominent candidates for the seat include JUI-F’s Azam Khan, who is also brother of Senator Dilawar Khan, ANP’s Ahmad Ali, PPP’s Asadullah Khan, Dr Atau Rehman of Jamaat-i-Islami and PTI’s Mujahid Ali. Tough contest is expected between JUI-F candidate Azam Khan and Mujahid Ali for the seat.

Mujahid Ali had won the said seat twice during the last two elections on PTI ticket while JUI-F won both slots of chairman of Katlang and Rustam tehsils in the local government elections. Both tehsils are part of the constituency.

Similarly, seventeen candidates are in the run for NA-22. The number of male voters in the constituency is 300,509 while women voters are 254,228 of total 554,737 registered voters.

Prominent among the contesters for the seat include former chief minister and ANP candidate Ameer Haider Khan Hoti, Qari Niyaz Ali of JUI-F, PTI former provincial minister Mohammad Atif Khan, who is contesting polls as an independent candidate, Syed Abid Ali Shah of PPP, Anbareen alias Hina of TLP and Moulana Shujaul Mulk of JUI ( Sherani group).

Thrilling contest is expected between Ameer Haider Hoti and Atif Khan. Ameer Haider Khan Hoti had won the seat twice during the two previous general polls.

Likewise, 11 candidates are taking part in the polls for NA-23. The constituency has 255,185 male and 206,417 female voters of the total 461,602 registered voters.

ANP candidate Ahmad Khan Bahadar, Kaleem Khan Toru of JUI-F, Shoaib Alam Khan of PPP, Jalal Khan Khattak of PML-N, Bashir Khan of Aman Tariqi Party, PTI central leader and former state minister Ali Mohammad Khan, Aqib Ismail of JI are key contesters for NA-23.

However, political observers and experts predict neck to neck contest between JUI-F candidate Kaleem Khan Toru and Ali Mohammad Khan.

Published in Dawn, January 22nd, 2024