Interesting situation as former opponent to back PTI candidate

ABBOTTABAD: Dr Azhar Jadoon of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) got a shot in the arm in his contest with the former chief minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Sardar Mehtab Ahmed Khan after erstwhile federal minister Amanullah Khan Jadoon announced support for him on NA-17.
Azhar Jadoon, who twice contested election against Amanullah Jadoon would get support from his former political opponent. This has changed the electoral situation in NA-17. Amaullah Jadoon had won election 2002 against Dr Azhar Jadoon by getting 44,716 votes against the latter’s 30,949.
Dr Azhar Jadoon polled 36,300 votes, the winner Sardar Mehtab bagged 58,600 while Amanullah Jadoon secured 33,200 votes in election 2008.Sardar Mehtab won the election in 2008 despite the fact that 69,500 votes were polled against him due to the division of votes between the other two contenders.
According to circles close to Amanullah Jadoon, Dr Azhar Jadoon, Col (r) Ghulam Mustafa Jadoon and some common friends and relatives met at the residence of Amanullah Jadoon and persuaded him to support Dr Azhar Jadoon.
Amanullah Jadoon, who remained federal as well as provincial minister during his long political career, made it clear that he wasn’t joining the PML-N.This new political adjustment between old rivals has given an edge to PTI candidate.
Amanullah Jadoon who remained active in the PML-Q has left the party after developing differences with the leadership. He hasn’t joined any other party. He hasn’t announced support to any candidate in provincial assembly constituency PK-44 Abbottabad from where his nephew Inayatullah Jadoon is contesting on PML-N ticket.
Although PTI claims that Amanullah Jadoon has decided to support PTI at all levels as his son Ali Khan Jadoon has already joined the PTI, no formal announcement has been made by him yet.
In the NA-18 constituency some interesting developments have boosted the morale of former MNA and PML-N candidate Murtaza Javed Abbasi. Earlier considered a weak candidate, he is now challenging his rivals including former deputy Speaker National Assembly Sardar Muhammad Yaqoob of PTI and Sardar Haider Zaman of Tehrik-e-Suba Hazara.
The area is populated by Karlal tribe commonly known as Sardars. The presence of Abbasi, Jadoon and other tribes is less in the constituency. Political observers say that as Sardar Haider Zaman and Sardar Muhammad Yaqoob are from one tribe, this would benefit Murtaza Javed Abbasi.
Withdrawal of independent candidate Chaudhry Faisal in favour of Murtaza Javed Abbasi has strengthened his position. Faisal was the party coordinator when Nawaz Sharif was prime minister.
Sardar Haider Zaman twice contested from NA-18 against Mian Nawaz Sharif. Though he lost both the times he gained reasonable strength and this time he is contesting with the one point agenda of creation of separate Hazara province.