DERA GHAZI KHAN: Tribal elders of the Leghari tribe of Choti Zaireen are facing each other in the by-election on PP-292.

The seat was vacated by Muhammad Khan Leghari of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI).

Muhammad Leghari had contested and won the general elections on two seats -- NA-192 and PP-292 -- against former chief minister Shahbaz Sharif and his own cousin, Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari of the PML-N, respectively.

Awais Leghari is once again the PML-N contender for the by-poll. He had earlier contested from two seats – NA-191 and PP-292 – and lost both to Zartaj Gull and Muhammad Leghari, respectively.

The PTI candidate for the by-poll is octogenarian Maqsood Ahmed Khan Leghari, who is an uncle of Awais Leghari, and father of MNA Muhammad Leghari.

Meanwhile, the PPP has announced its support for the PML-N candidate here. In this regard, the party’s district general secretary, Ali Murad Khan Khetran, along with PML-N office-bearers held a press conference to announce the party’s support for the PML-N.

On the other hand, Atif Dareshak of the PTI, who was earlier contesting the by-poll as an independent candidate, has withdrawn his nomination after action was taken against him by the party’s apex authority.

The Tehreek Labbaik Ya Rasool Allah has fielded Abdur Rehman Bodla as its candidate for the by-poll.

Local political pundits see a hotly contested by-poll between the Leghari tribe elders. An analyst told Dawn that swing voters may vote for Awais Leghari considering he is a brother of the Leghari tribe chief and should be a member of the provincial assembly.

A total of 81,821 men and 59,293 women will exercise their right to vote at 105 polling stations on Oct 14.

sensitive: As many as 33 polling stations out of total 105 set up for holding by-election in PP-292 constituency have been declared sensitive.

This was stated by Deputy Commissioner Akbar Ali Bhatti on Thursday in a media talk.

He said the security arrangements for the by-poll had also been made to avoid any untoward incident on the polling day (Oct 14).

He said troops of Pakistan Army would also assist local staff of the Election Commission of Pakistan in holding peaceful and fair by-election in PP-292.

Meanwhile, an independent candidate Dr Saeed Ahmad is using social media as a tool for his campaign by posting video clips of his political activities in the constituency.

Published in Dawn, October 12th, 2018