PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa continues to be dominated by family politics as like in the past major political parties have given tickets to their close and influential families to contest the upcoming general elections, The News reported on Wednesday.
All the leading political parties in the country, with the exception of the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), have fielded their candidates from influential families or descendants of their respective party leaders.
Parties include Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Pakistan Tehreek-e- MPs of Insaf (PTI-P), Awami National Party (ANP) and Qaumi Watan Party (QWP).
According to the final list shared by the JUI-F with the media, five candidates will contest the National Assembly as well as the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly from the southern districts of the province.
JUI-F Central Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman will contest for NA-44 in Dera Ismail Khan. His son Maulana Asad Rehman, also a former federal minister, will contest for NA-43 in Tank. Maulana Asajad Rehman, another son of the JUI-F chief, is a candidate for NA-41 in Lakki Marwat.
The JUI-F chief’s two younger brothers — Maulana Lutfur Rehman and Maulana Ubaidur Rehman — will contest the provincial assembly seats from DI Khan.
Former Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani has won tickets for two KP assembly constituencies in Bannu district, while his son and former National Assembly Deputy Speaker Zahid Akram Durrani will contest for the National Assembly in the same district.
Likewise, former provincial minister Liaqat Khattak, brother of PTI-P chairman Pervez Khattak and his son Ahad Khattak are JUI-F candidates for PK-87 and PK-88 in Nowshera district.
Meanwhile, Khattak will contest one NA constituency and two provincial assembly constituencies in his hometown Nowshera. His two sons – Ibrahim Khattak and Ismail Khattak – are party candidates for PK-85 and PK-86 in Nowshera.
PTI-P chief’s son-in-law and nephew, Dr. Imran Khattak, will contest for NA-33 Nowshera and PK-89 in Nowshera for party ticket.
On the other hand, PTI has given tickets to its central general secretary Omar Ayub Khan for Haripur National Assembly seat while his close relatives Arshad Ayub and Akbar Ayub will contest for PK-47 and PK-46 in Haripur.
Similarly, PTI provincial president and former provincial minister Ali Amin Gandapur will contest one National Assembly constituency and two provincial assembly constituencies in DI Khan. His brother Faisal Amin Gandapur is a candidate for the provincial assembly seat from the same district.
The former ruling party also gave tickets to former National Assembly Speaker Asad Kaisar for the National Assembly and his brother Akibullah Khan for PK-50 in Swabia. In the same district, former provincial minister Shahram Khan Tarakai will contest on a PTI ticket for NA-20 in Swabia, while Faisal Khan Tarakai is the party’s candidate for PK-52 in Swabia.
In Charsadda district, PTI gave ticket to former MNA Fazl Mohammad Khan for NA-25 while his nephew Hamza Naseer Khan was given ticket for PK-64 in Charsadda.
PML-N has given tickets to its provincial president Amir Muqam Khan for two National Assembly constituencies and one KP assembly in Swat and Shangla, while his brother Dr Ibad will contest for the Shangla provincial assembly seat on a PML-N ticket.
PML-N Provincial Speaker Ikhtiyar Wali Khan will contest for NA-33 and PK-88 in Nowshera, while his brother Liaqat Wali is the party’s candidate for PK-85 in the same town.
In Khyber district, PML-N has given ticket to former MNA Shah Jee Gul Afridi to the National Assembly, while his son and nephew Bilawal Afridi and Shafiq Afridi will contest for two provincial assembly constituencies.
Besides, PPP has given ticket to former federal minister Arbab Alamgir Khan for NA, while his son Arbab Zarak Khan will be the party’s candidate for PK-80 in Peshawar, while Asma Alamgir has been nominated for the reserved seat for women for NA.
Kiramatullah Chagharmati, former KP Assembly Speaker, and his nephew Razaullah Khan will also contest on the PPP ticket in Peshawar.
In Swabi district, the PPP gave tickets to Usman Khan Tarakai to the National Assembly and Biland Khan Tarakai to the Provincial Assembly. There will be a tough fight between the Tarakai family in Swabia as they face off against PTI candidates Shahram Tarakai and Faisal Khan Tarakai.
Similarly, PPP awarded tickets to Faisal Karim Kundi for NA seat and his brother Ahmad Karim Kundi for PK-112 in DI Khan district. Ihsan Miankhel and Qaisar Miankhel are also PPP candidates for the provincial assembly in the same district.
ANP has given ticket to former federal minister and its central leader Ghulam Ahmad Bilour for NA-32 in Peshawar while Samar Haroon Bilour, former MPA and widow of Haroon Bilour, will contest on ANP ticket against PK-83.
QWP Chairman Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao will contest for NA-24 National Assembly seat in Charsadda, while his son Sikandar Hayat Sherpao, a former provincial senior minister, will seek KP Assembly seats.
