LANDI KOTAL, Aug 26: As many as 44 candidates have so far filed their nomination papers for the two National Assembly seats from Khyber Agency.

Khyber Agency had one seat for the National Assembly in the previously held elections. But with the recent increase in the number of NA seats, Khyber Agency has been divided into two constituencies NA-45 and NA-46.

NA-45 comprises the two subdivisions of Landi Kotal and Jamrud, while NA-46 comprises the entire Bara subdivision.

For NA-45, some 20 candidates have filed their nominations till Sunday evening. Allama Noorul Haq Qadri of Tanzeem-i- Ahle Sunnat-o-Jamaat submitted his nominations as an independent candidate. The other candidate who filed his nomination is Qazi Mohammad Ashraf. Despite the fact that he submitted his nominations as an independent candidate, he claims to have the backing of Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA).

Also in the run for NA-45 seat are Sardar Khan Kukikhel (PML-QA), Engineer Ishratullah (PPP), Akhtar Murad (PTI) and Mohammad Hassan Afghani (JI). Besides political parties’ candidates, some eleven independent candidates, have filed their nomination papers.

The Awami National Party and PML (N) could not find suitable candidates from this constituency.

For NA-46, of the 24 candidates, nine have the backing of their political parties. PPP allotted its ticket to Farhad Shabab, who is the president of PPP Khyber Agency. Jamaat-i- Islami also fielded its Agency Ameer Maulana Abdul Wadood, while PML-QA has allotted its ticket to Zahir Shah Afridi. The Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf is represented by Javed Afridi.

Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal has three candidates with Maulana Khalilur Rehman as their first choice. Former MNA and senator Mohammad Shah has fielded his nephew Mohammad Ayub as candidate for the newly-formed Qabayal Jamhoori Party. Mohammad Ayub is also contesting from NA-45.

The other candidates for NA-46 are Zar Hussain, Haji Faizullah, Alhaj Mian Gul, Bakht Wazir, Mohammad Daud, Dr Niaz Badshah, Said Akbar, Sabir Shah, Mohammad Ali, Javed Iqbal, Nasrullah, Syed Mohammad Sadiq, Mohammad Amin and Hashim Khan.