ATTOCK, Feb 16: Twenty-four candidates are in the run for five provincial assembly seats in Attock district.
In PP-15, three candidates Syed Ejaz Bukhari of PML-Q, Malik Shahan Khan of PPP and Sheikh Sulaman Sarwar of PML-N are in the field.
Mr Shahan, son of veteran PPP leader Malik Hakmeen Khan, is being considered favourite for the seat.
In PP-16, seven candidates including ex-provincial minister Col Shujah Khanzada (retired), who is now contesting as independent, are vying for the seat.
Mr Shujah has quit the PML-Q due to differences over award of ticket and might give tough fight to MMA’s candidate Qari Atiqur Rehman, who is enjoying the support of the PML-Q.
Dr Naeem Awan of PPP and Fazalur Rehman Wardak of PML-N are also trying their luck for the same seat.
In PP-17, five aspirants including former MPA Sardar Muhammad Ali Khan, who is now PML-N candidate after leaving the PML-Q are in the run.
The PML-N candidate is in a strong position and may give tough time to Chaudhry Sher Ali of the PML-Q.
Political analysts believed that division of opposition votes could benefit the king party candidate.
In PP-18, three aspirants, ex-provincial minister Col Malik Mohammad Anwar (retired) of PML-Q, former tehsil nazim Pindigheb Malik Khurram Ali Khan (PPP) and former MPA Malik Asif Ali Khan (PML-N), are in the contest.
However, the position of PPP candidate is stated to be strong but he may face tough contest from the PML-Q candidate. Both are close relatives.
In PP-19, six candidates including Sadia Ahmed (independent), Sardar Mumtaz Khan (PML-N), Malik Atabar (PML- Q), Sardar Muhammad Ameer (PPP) are in the run.
Sardar Mumtaz Khan of PML-N is being considered favourite. Mr Mumtaz is ex-president of PML-Q Attock district and resigned from the party on ticket issue and joined PML-N.
His major opponent is Malik Atabar of PML-Q, a retired bureaucrat and son of veteran politician and former Chairman Public Account committee Malik Allah Yar Khan.
Army arrives
in Attock: Two battalions of regular troops arrived in Attock on Thursday to assist the local administration in security arrangements for February 18 polls, District Coordination Officer (DCO) Malik Abdul Razzak said.
“One battalion will be deployed in the tehsils of Jand, Fatehjang and Pindigheb, and the other one in the tehsils of Attock, Hazro and Hassanabdal,” Mr Razzak told this correspondent.
The soldiers are being commanded by Brig Sajjad Ahmed.
The DCO said commanders of the army and Rangers personnel were also briefed about the election security plan in a joint meeting on Thursday.
Besides the soldiers, about 100 Rangers personnel would also be deployed to support the 5,000 officials of the police and other law-enforcement agencies at sensitive polling stations.
Around 230 polling stations have been declared sensitive, where joint flag march of police and the army would be carried out as a show of strength.
Meanwhile, the district administration is providing all necessary facilities, including photocopiers, fax machines, computers along with operators, to the returning officers (ROs) to perform the poll duties, compile record and communicate with the relevant authorities.
Transport will also be provided to the election staff and for this purpose, Rs1,500 per polling station were provided by the district returning officer (DRO) Attock to the district administration to meet the expenses of hired vehicles.
The drivers of hired vehicles would be provided with fares in advance to avoid any hindrance to their work. According to the official, the local administration is keeping close contact with the offices of DRO, ROs and police for holding the election process in a smooth and peaceful manner. A control room has also been set up at the DCO’s office in this regard.
Officials of all emergency departments, including hospitals, fire brigade, civil defence and bomb disposal squads, have also been put on high alert, the DCO added.