SWABI: Efforts by a jirga to patch up differences among heavyweights of the Tarakai family have failed to produce any result over the last few months, sources told Dawn here on Wednesday.

“The little space for reconciliation created by jirga members has been squandered by leading figures of our family. We have reached a point of no return,” an insider of the politically influential family, told Dawn on condition of anonymity.

The family stalwarts include Liaqat Khan Tarakai, who has been a senator since 2015; Usman Khan Tarakai, a seasoned parliamentarian and also an electrical engineer by profession,

who has emerged victorious for three consecutive terms from the local National Assembly constituency; Shahram Khan Tarakai, who has served as a provincial health, local government and education minister between 2013-2023; Mohammad Ali Tarakai, who won twice from provincial assembly constituency; Biland Khan Tarakai, former Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s Peshawar region vice-president and Faisal Khan Tarakai.

Mr Liaqat, Mr Usman and Mr Biland are cousins; Mohammad Ali is Liaqat’s brother and Mr Shahram and Mr Faisal are sons of Mr Liaqat.

The sources said while Mr Liaqat and Mr Shahram were striving to promote Mr Faisal as their next bet in the political arena, Mr Usman and Mr Biland had joined Pakistan Peoples Party.

The sources said Mr Usman and Mr Biland had already kicked off their mass contact campaign, castigating Mr Shahram and others for their alleged ‘corruption’.

The sources said there would be a strong contest for NA-20, Swabi-II between Usman Tarakai and Shahram Khan Tarakai.

Meanwhile, Mr Biland said he was not supported by Mr Shahram and his father in the Razaar tehsil election, leading to his defeat.

Political pundits here opine that the biggest success of the Tarakai family was the internal harmony and unity.

They said it would be interesting to see how this friction plays out in any future election.

Published in Dawn, June 29th, 2023