HARIPUR: As the polling day, November 23, for by-election on NA 18, Haripur, draws near, the contesting candidates have intensified their efforts to woo their electorates.

Dawn to dusk unbreakable frequency of corner meetings, individual sessions and door to door visits to muster support by the candidates is a common scene in the district.

Nine candidates from PML (N), PTI-backed independent, PPP, Hazara Qaumi Mahaz, Pakistan Nazreyati Party and four independents including two women are testing their luck for Haripur’s lone NA seat, which had fallen vacant following disqualification of former opposition leader in the NA Omar Ayub Khan.

However, the evolving situation on the political landscape of the overwhelmingly rural cum large constituency, according to observers, is indicative of an interesting contest between PTI-backed independent candidate Shehrnaz Omar Ayub Khan and PMLN’s nominee Babar Nawaz Khan.

PTI has already announced a public meeting in Chamba, the Haripur bordering village of District Abbottabad, where CM Sohail Afridi is expected to address party workers. While some big shots from the PML-N’s central leadership are also expected to visit Haripur, party sources confirmed.

PTI- backed candidate Shehrnaz Omar Ayub is contesting election for the first time as a replacement of her husband, who is running her campaign with the help of his cousins despite the fact he is wanted by the Punjab police after his conviction.

PML-N’s candidate Babar Nawaz Khan, who had earlier served as MNA during 2015-2018 after winning by-election, has also succeeded in winning the support of his party leaders Capt (retd) Safdar Awan, Pir Sabir Shah, Sardar Mushtaq Khan, Dr Raja Amir Zaman, Murtaza Javed Abbasi, MNA Dr Shaista Jadoon, MPAs Shazia Jadoon and Amna Sardar who all are busy in wooing support for their candidate.

On behalf of his wife’s Punjab government, Capt (retd) Safdar has announced construction of a 100 bedded hospital and a stadium with the Punjab government’s funds in village Pehdiyan. He disclosed that PM Shahbaz Sharif, during a meeting with him and Babar Nawaz, had approved Danish School, women university, bridge on Tarbela lake and job quota for Haripur.

According to observer Haripur’s political landscape remains dominated by patronage rather than ideology. Despite facing criticism over inadequate tertiary healthcare and limited job opportunities for the young voters, the Tareen family appears to be leveraging its influence among local political groups courtesy Imran Khan’s political aura and uplift projects worth billions to maintain its popularity.

While Babar Nawaz and his supporters, who count Sui gas and electricity projects worth Rs70 billion that he got approved from central govt for Haripur, is optimistic that voters who are annoyed with the policy of converging all powers within one family, would certainly strike a balance of power, helping him to win the seat this time.

Omar Ayub’s two first cousins Arshad Ayub and Akbar Ayub are the sitting MPAs from Haripur.

Haripur’s political history is evident that not a single woman could ever make it to provincial or national assembly in direct election which has 74.88% literacy rate. Begum Bilquis Nasarminallh, late mother of SC’s now former judge justice Athar Minallah, contested twice on PPP’s ticket in 1988 and 1990 but lost. Begum Gohar Ayub was notified as PMLQ’s MNA on women’s reserved seat during 2002-2008 when her son Omar Ayub was minister of state for finance in Shaukat Aziz’s cabinet.

QWP’s Dr Faiza Rasheed, ANP’s (now PPP’s candidate) Irum Fatima, Dr Shaista Jadoon sitting PMLN MNA on special seats, had tested their luck more than once in the past but could not succeed.

According to observers the contest between PMLN and PTI backed candidates has become quite interesting and both federal and provincial governments are active for winning the by-election.

Published in Dawn, November 17th, 2025