Wali Khan’s two sons to contest polls

Published September 2, 2002

CHARSADDA, Sept 1: The scions and political heirs of traditional political families are in the run for different seats of the National and provincial assemblies in the general elections in Charsadda district.

Two sons of Khan Abdul Wali Khan, Rehbar-i-Tehrik of Awami National Party, Asfandyar Wali Khan and Sangeen Wali Khan, are contesting for National and provincial assemblies seats, respectively.

Though Asfandyar Wali Khan is head of his party and is not a new face, but his younger brother Sangeen Wali, who is also the district president of ANP, is contesting election from PF-18, Charsadda-II, for the first time. His mother and ANP provincial president Begum Nasim Wali Khan had won the last general elections from this constituency.

Sangeen Wali will face another youth, Saeed Khan, who is the son of former senator and senior vice president of PML (QA) Nisar Mohammad Khan. Saeed is a fresh law graduate and is a joint candidate of PML (QA), PPP (Sherpao) and MMA, an alliance of six religious political parties.

Arshad Abdullah, son of Abdullah Jan Khan of PPP, is also in the run from the same constituency.

The other scion of a political family is Shakeel Bashir, son of Bashir Khan Umerzai, a senior leader of ANP. He is contesting on PF-19.

Sikandar Sherpao, son of former chief minister Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao, is also contesting the elections on PF-21 for the first time.

Mohmand Ali Mohmand, who is also the son of a former senator, Dilawar Mohmand, is in the run for PF-22.

An interesting contest is expected on PF-18, Charsadda-II, which is the only constituency from where Saeed Khan, Sangeen Wali and Arshad Abdullah are contesting the elections. Besides being new entrants in the electoral arena, the three candidates also belong to the same village, Uthmanzai.