40 candidates are contesting while tribal alliances favour different party candidates. In earlier elections, these have helped the JUI-F twice, the Islami Jamhoori Ittehad and the PML-N once each, and in 2008 sent the PPP’s Sardar Omer Gorgage to the National Assembly. The PPP has again reposed confidence in Sardar Gorgage while the PML-N, JUI-F, Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party and the Balochistan National Party-Mengal have brought new candidates. A tough contest is likely between Sardar Gorgage, Hafiz Fazal Barrach (JUI-F), Manzoor Ahmed Mengal (JUI-F) and Abdul Rahim Mandokhel of the PkMAP.

The Taliban voteTwo rival candidates of both factions of the JUI are contesting. In 2008, Maulana Asmatullah — once a die-hard supporter of Maulana Fazalur Rehman — defeated Maulana Mohammad Khan Shirani. Now, though 10 candidates are in the run, the main contenders are Shirani and Asmatullah. It is likely to be a direct fight between pro-Taliban and anti-Taliban voters as this constituency borders with Afghanistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Other candidates include Raza Muhammad Raza (PkMAP), Haji Muhammad Akhtar Mandokhel (PTI) and Sheikh Jaffar Khan Mandokhel (PML-Q).

Jamali’s worldHere, political rivals the Jamalis, the Umranis and the Khosa are once again contesting against each other. Former prime minister Zafarullah Khan Jamali, who is facing his nephew Changez Jamali, will likely prove difficult for his rivals to beat. Notwithstanding all the differences in the family, he can muster up support from the other tribes of the canal-irrigated area.