SWABI, Dec 29: Election in Swabi has turned into matter of honour and dignity for the Awami National Party (ANP), religious parties, Pakistan Muslim League-Q and Swabi Jamhoori Ittehad (SJI).

Leaders and workers of the parties claim that they will emerge victorious in the Jan 8 election as they have been campaigning day and night. Also, the Pakistan People’s Party and Pakistan Muslim League-N are no longer in the race after the assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto at Rawalpindi’s Liaquat Bagh on Dec 27.

The religious parties, who won the national and two provincial assembly seats from the district in 2002 election, are making attempts to maintain their past glory. The PPP-S may get a better result this time around.

The district has three tehsils, Tehsil Swabi, Tehsil Chota Lahore and Tehsil Topi and 56 union councils. It comprises an area of 1,543 square kilometres, population 1.026 million (1998 census), 137,988 children under five years of age and major occupations include agriculture, business, government employment and tobacco cultivation.

The sole industrial estate of Gadoon is now a graveyard of industrial units. Out of 450 units, only 20 are functioning.

Sewerage system in the newly created Tehsil Topi and Tehsil Chota Lahore is almost non existent. The district lacks adequate health facilities. There is only one 15-bed children ward for the district.

No remedial steps have been taken for the emancipation of tobacco growers. All leaders of the district are directly or indirectly involved in the tobacco business. The roads are in dilapidated condition. The road in Topi Tehsil main bazaar is in a bad shape and rainwater often accumulates on it for several weeks.

Observers say that those who reach voters, who are still undecided, first may hope for winning the next election. In the previous polls, only 37.6 per cent voters from NA-12 (Swabi I) and 38.43 per cent from NA-13 (Swabi II) made it to the polling stations.

The ANP said it was a great honour for them that their party chief was contesting the election from their area.

The family of Shahram Khan poses the greatest challenge for the ANP. Its candidate, Amanullah, brother of Rehmanullah, was defeated by Mr Shahram in the 2005 district nazim election.

Observers agreed that without Mr Shahram family’s support no one would be in a position to contest the election against ANP’s Asfandyar Khan.

Analysts say here it will neither be easy for ANP’s Asfandyar nor for SJI’s Usman Khan Tarakai to win the election.