SARGODHA, Aug 15: The district’s politics has been dominated by biradris and a few feudal families, who, despite their decreasing land holdings, still exercise a considerable influence on the electorate. The rural and urban population break up is 71.9 and 28.1 per cent, respectively.
As many as 183 people, including 12 panels of union council nazims and naib-nazims, have been elected unopposed as per unofficial reports, while 63 seats are lying vacant. The total number of contestants for various seats, including those of nazims and naib-nazims, is 5908.
The last district government has left most of the voters dissatisfied and allegations of corruption and misuse of power are common against many town nazims, UC nazims and naib-nazims, many of whom could lose their posts in the coming election. Those who may face the music include former district nazim Malik Amjad Ali Noon, Bhalwal tehsil nazim Mian Naseer Ahmed, Sillanwali nazim Rana Munawar Ghaus and Sargodha tehsil nazim Dr Liaqat Ali Khan.
Sargodha tehsil is the largest in the district comprising 62 union councils (22 urban and 40 rural).
In the urban union councils of Sargodha Tehsil, the ARD comprising PPP and PML-N succeeded in making a coalition with the MMA on various seats against the ruling party candidates.
Presently, the MMA and ARD leaders, including MNA Tasneem Ahmed Qureshi, former MNA Chaudhry Abdul Hameed and Dr Arshad Shahid are expected to bag considerable votes in the urban areas, while biradri factor will play an important role in the rural areas, where the political heavyweights like Mehr Khuda Dad Khan Luk of PPP will have an edge.
Bhalwal tehsil, which had 53 union councils in the last local elections, was bifurcated and a new tehsil, Kot Momen was created when Mian Abdul Qadeer, son of former Bhalwal tehsil nazim Mian Naseer Ahmed, contested the election against Zahid Iqbal Sandhu, a ruling party nominee. Though the chief minister had notified the new Kot Momen tehsil a couple of years ago, the then tehsil nazim challenged the decision in the Lahore High Court, which observed that the notification would become effective in the next elections. Now Bhalwal tehsil comprises 31 union councils, including urban areas of Bhera and city.
In the tehsil, Piracha groups is considered most influential. However, it faces an alliance of PML-N group headed by sons of Pir Karam Shah Alazhari and MPA Mukhtar Ahmad Bhirth MPA, Noon Group headed by former MNA Malik Adnan Noon, Jamat Islami headed by Malik Masoodul Hassan Sujra and Dr Mubasher Ahmad and PML-Q headed by Chaudhry Nasir Ali son of late Chaudhry Muhammad Ali.
Piracha group is eying district nazim’s slot for Ehsanul Haq Piracha as it has reportedly managed to win the support of Chaudhry Tariq Aziz Warriach, who is principal political secretary to the president.
The other groups which have influence in some rural union councils of the tehsil are Jaspal group headed by former provincial minister Muhammad Khan Jaspal, Haral group, Luk group having the blessings of Mehr Zafar Abbas Luk (Gujranwala DIG), and Kohli group.
In Kot Momen tehsil, the influence of Ranjha family has been strong after the fall of PPP-backed Garah group. At present, Punjab Colonies Minister Mian Manazar Ali Ranjha has a considerable influence on the tehsil’s politics. In the past, Mr Ranjha remained associated with PML-N and PPP, and finally joined the PML-Q. Mr Ranjha is now being opposed by his two stepbrothers, Mazhar Ranjha and Azhar Ranjha, due to some property dispute, in UC 42 (Bucha Kalan) and UC 44 (Bhabra). The two brothers are being supported by former MPA Mian Muhammad Aslam Midhiana of PPP against the minister. Though Manazir Ranjha enjoys good repute and support of influential biradries, he has to face united opposition of PML-N leader and former MPA Chaudhry Shahnawaz Ranjha and Mian Muhammad Aslam Midhiana as both groups have ended their old enmity and have joined hands in the local polls. The main focus of Manazir Ranjha is on winning the tehsil nazim’s slot for his son who is a law student.
Sillanwali tehsil comprising 16 union councils is under the influence of various groups, including those led by MNA Anwar Ali Cheema, his brother-in-law Chaudhry Farrukh Javed Ghuman, former MPA Mian Muhammad Ashraf Kalayar hailing from the ruling party. These groups are engaged in internal strife as well.
In the tehsil, Bhattis, Rajputs, Kalayars and Arains are among main biradries. Previously, Rana Munwar Ghaus from the Rajput biradri was elected as tehsil nazim with the support of Kalayrs, but later he joined Anwar Ali Cheema’s camp. Farrukh Javed Ghuman wants to field his son Faisal Ghuman as tehsil nazim, while Kalayar family is also interested in the slot. Despite the reconciliation efforts of the chief minister the groups are still fighting over the slot.
In Sahiwal tehsil, which has 14 union councils, there is a considerable influence of Qureshis led by Mian Muhammad Ilay Qureshi, a former provincial minister, MNA Mian Mazhar Ahmed Qureshi, and Pir of Sial Sharif Sahibzada Hameeduddin. MNA Anwar Ali Cheema, the Kalyars, Lahri tribe led by Ghulam Asghar Lahri, Pathans, and Jehanian group led by Syed Inyat Ali Shah. Though most of the tehsil’s heavyweights are associated with the ruling party, they are opposing each other.
Ghulam Asghar Lahri is close to Anwar ali Cheema, while Qureshi group is opposing Mr Cheema at all levels as Mian Mazhar Ahmed Qureshi himself wants to become district nazim. Meanwhile, Chaudhry Hamid Saleem Warriach, a cousin of Chaudhry Tariq Aziz is also striving for the slot.
In Shahpur tehsil, which has 16 union councils, Meikan, Tiwana, Awan, Qureshi, Bkhar and Gondal are main tribes.
The Meikans have maintained their position in their native union council 58 (Kot Bhai Khan), from where Sardar Akhtar Hayat Meikan has been elected unopposed, while in UC 59 (Kot Pehlwan), Sadar Fateh Muhammad Meikan has been elected.
Now the contest is in 12 union councils, where MNA Mazhar Ahmed Qureshi seems to be in a commanding position. A woman MNA, Umerzadi Tiwana, daughter of former prime minister Sir Khizar Hayat Tiwana, is supporting Anwar Cheema, but her frequent absence from the constituency has proved a draw back and she has not yet got any convincing majority in the tehsil.