SWABI: Pakistan Peoples Party looks for first-ever win in NA-20, Swabi-II, banking on Usman Khan Tarakai, who is an uncle of Shahram Khan Tarakai, the former provincial minister in Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf government, thus slimming the chances for the latter to secure the seat.

The number of registered voters in the constituency is 557,897, including 259,332 women.

Now 10 candidates, including five independents, are in the fray. The independents include PTI-backed Shahram Khan Tarakai, former provincial minister Ahmad Asad, Tahir Ali, Fazal Elahi and Mukhtiar Ali.

The ticket holders are Usman Tarakai of PPP, Waris Khan of Awami National Party, Mehmoodul Hassan of Jamaat-i-Islami, Amir Zeb of Pakistan Markazi Muslim League and Abdur Rahim Khan of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl.

PPP-PML-N seat adjustment slims chances for Shahram to win NA-20

Mr Usman had defeated ANP president Asfandyar Wali Khan in the 2008 election, when he contested for the first time as an independent. He also emerged victorious in 2013 election again as an independent.

He won the election for the third straight time on PTI ticket in 2018.

Mr Usman and Mr Shahram have developed serious differences, and now they are contesting election from the same constituency from different platforms.

Political observers said a fierce electoral battle between two heavyweights of Tarakai family was likely as it was the first time that both were facing each other.

In NA-20, PPP and PML-N have made a seat adjustment. PML-N’s candidate has withdrawn in favour of Usman, and Biland Iqbal Tarakai, another PPP candidate and uncle of Shahram, has withdrawn papers in favour of PML-N’s Adil Khan from PK-53, Swabi-V.

Shahram has so far not surfaced to run his poll campaign and his absence poses a grave threat to his position in NA-20 and PK-53, the two constituencies he is contesting. His position has also been weakened by the PTI being stripped off its ‘bat’ symbol.

Numerous PTI leaders and workers have resented the party’s decision to field him again. The disgruntled workers argue that the party has always preferred the Tarakai family to others.

Another strong candidate in NA-20 is ANP’s Waris Khan.

Mr Waris, who is the son of late ANP leader Shahbaz Khan, is a public figure. Due to this fact, he would have an impact on the outcome.

Political observers said if Mr Shahram failed to run his campaign he might not be able to defeat his uncle and Waris Khan in NA-20.

Till 2008 election, Razaar belt from where Usman, Shahram and Waris contest elections, remained hub of ANP, and it was the entry of Tarakai family that had shaken the position of the Red Shirt leaders and the political landscape in the region.

However, ANP leaders said they had already staged a comeback when the party’s candidate Ghulam Haqqani had won the Razaar tehsil mayor election, defeating PTI’s Biland Iqbal Tarakai. Observers said internal rivalry in Tarakai family had provided an opportunity to ANP leader to win election.

Published in Dawn, January 22nd, 2024