PESHAWAR: The Malakand protected region, a part of the Provincially Administered Tribal Areas of the NWFP has all of a sudden become the focus of attention for development planners, decision-makers and mainstream political parties.

The reason is the Dec 15 by-election for NA-35, the lone seat of the National Assembly from the area, which fell vacant after the death of Maulana Inayatur Rehman, who was elected from the constituency on Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal's ticket in the 2002 general elections.

Maulana Rehman's departure from the scene has made Malakand an election battleground for all political forces and the underdeveloped area has attracted wealthy candidates to pour money to win votes.

The by-election is going to be a test case for the MMA and the Pakistan Muslim League. The MMA, ruling the NWFP, and the PML, calling shots in the centre, are expected to face a tough challenge at the hands of the Pakistan People's Party, the single largest opposition party in the National Assembly.

The MMA is describing the by-polls as a contest between Islamic and secular forces, sticking to its strategy of the year 2002 which had helped it win a large number of seats in the NA as well as in provincial assemblies of the conservative NWFP and Balochistan. The ruling PML has resorted to the traditional election politics, giving assurances to voters and making announcements of development packages for the region.

Both the MMA and the PML have been accused of using official machinery in their campaigns, leading acting Chief Election Commissioner Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar to issue directives to executive authorities of both the federal and provincial governments not to use the state apparatus in the election campaign.

Provincial ministers, particularly those inducted into the cabinet on the Jamaat-i-Islami's quota, have been frequently visiting the area to address public meetings in the campaign of their candidate Bakhtiar Moani.

As for the PML, federal Petroleum and Natural Resources Minister Amanullah Jadoon during a visit to the area announced that natural gas would soon be supplied to the Malakand protected area - a promise which remained unfulfilled when PML candidate Salim Saifullah's brother Anwer Saifullah held the same portfolio during the second Benazir-headed government.

A little known Engineer Amir Muqam, Minister of State for Water and Power, is also running Mr Saifullah's campaign. Engr Muqam who belongs to Malakand region's Shangla area was expelled from the MMA after he 'defied' the alliance's line of action.

Supply of natural gas to Malakand, improving the electricity distribution system in the area and declaring Thana a sub-division of Wapda are some of the announcements the PML leaders have made to the people of Malakand in an attempt to win their support for Mr Saifullah, who could not make it to the NWFP Assembly from his hometown of Lakki Marwat.

Besides, one candidate distributed from his own pocket Rs100,000 each to the families of victims died in a road accident. Another candidate arranged for a truck of cement bags for undertaking some construction work in a seminary.

Political observers believe that though the three major political parties - the MMA, the PML and the PPP - have fielded strong candidates, the by-election appears to be a real test for the MMA whose candidate, Bakhtiar Moani, would be considered by the electorate on the basis of the two-year performance of the MMA-led NWFP government. The alliance faces a big challenge also because of increasing fragmentation in its ranks.

Though the MMA's two major components, the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam and Jamaat-i-Islami, have managed to develop an understanding on a consensus candidate, they have not been able to get the JUI-S along.

The JUI-S has fielded its own candidate despite being part of the MMA. Led by Senator Maulana Samiul Haq, the JUI-S has nominated Shah Nawaz advocate for the contest and requested the election commission to allot 'book' as its election symbol.

'Book' worked wonders for the MMA in 2002 as it is widely believed that religious minded people had voted for the MMA's candidates by considering its election symbol as the Holy Quran.

Though the JUI-S subsequently failed to get 'book' as its election symbol, which has been allotted to Mr Moani, it appears confident to cause dent in the JUI-JI campaign. The JUI-S has been allotted 'telephone' as its election symbol.

The PML is also faced with internal squabble. Tussle between two rival groups within its provincial chapter over the question of provincial presidentship is haunting PML's chances to grab the seat, which it has never won except 1997 when its candidate Haji Mohammed Khan had returned successful. At that time the party was headed by former prime minister Nawaz Shraif.

"We have nominated Mr Salim Saifullah because we needed a gentleman with large financial resources to run an effective election campaign and counter the influence of clergy in the area," Wajihuzzaman, provincial general secretary of the PML, told this correspondent.

Mr Wajih expressed confidence that differences between Mr Saifullah and the party's provincial president Agha Syed Ali Shah were not serious enough to affect the by-election.

The PPP also is troubled by an internal crisis, though observers believe that revolt by certain elements in Malakand will not undermine its campaign. Mohammed Humayun Khan, son of PPP's strongman from the area the late Hanif Khan, has stepped down as district nazim to contest the by-election.

He is confronting a challenge from Engineer Sarfraz, nominated by party's former provincial president Khwaja Mohammed Khan Hoti. However, Mr Hoti's bid to get 'arrow' as election symbol for his candidate failed after the returning officer refused to entertain his request on the grounds that his party PPP-Hoti was not a registered political party.

Mr Humayun Khan's campaign received a boost after disgruntled elements of the party in the area, who had earlier joined the PPP-Sherpao, came back to the mainstream PPP and announced their support for him.

Historically, the constituency belongs to the PPP as its candidates have won it in four of the six elections since 1970. Hanif Khan, federal minister for Kashmir affairs in the first Benazir-led government, had won the seat in 1970, '88, and 93. After his death, other PPP candidates won the seat.

In 1997, Haji Mohammed Khan of the PML-N had returned successful from NA-35. In the last general elections, MMA's Maulana Inayatur Rehman had defeated PPP's Lal Mohammed with a margin of more than 16,000 votes. Maulana Inayat had also won the seat as an independent candidate in 1985.