JHANG: Allotment of different electoral symbols to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidates as independents and fresh delimitation of constituencies appear to have changed the pre-election scenario in the district that has three National Assembly seats.
In the 2018 general elections, the PTI candidates secured all three seats. Now a survey of the three constituencies shows that the factor of electoral symbols is going to weigh in markedly as it is likely to confuse most of the rural voters who are around 65 per cent of the district’s population.
In the three constituencies, the candidates of Pakistan Muslim League-N are also facing difficulties due to those party workers who were denied tickets but they are contesting the election as independent candidates.
The main fight for the NA-108 (Shah Jewna/Mochiwala) election is expected between the PML-N candidate former federal minister Makhdoom Faisal Saleh Hayat and the PTI-sponsored independent candidate former federal minister Sahibzada Mehboob Sultan. A total of 58,2504 male and 270,537 female voters will cast their votes in 1293 polling booths.
In the 2018 elections, Makhdoom Faisal Saleh Hayat as the PPP candidate was defeated by the PTI’s Mehboob Sultan by a narrow margin. In the elections 2024, this contest became a hot topic because Makhdoom Faisal Saleh Hayat is the caretaker of the shrine of Hazrat Shah Jewna (RTA) while Sahibzada Mehboob Sultan is a member of the caretaker family of the Hazrat Sultan Bahu (RTA). Due to the delimitation of the constituency, the supporters of Makhdoom Faisal Saleh Hayat are hopeful of a sure victory. The supporters of Sahibzada Mehboob Sultan have claimed that Makhdoom Faisal Saleh Hayat is contesting on both NA-108 and PP-125 seats making the other PML-N party ticket seekers unhappy and the fame of the PTI would lead to the victory of Sahibzada.
Another hot contest for the NA-109 (Jhang Urban) seat is expected amongst PTI-sponsored independent candidate and former federal minister Sheikh Waqas Akram, Rahe Haq party candidate Molana Muhammad Ahmed Ludhianvi and PML-N candidate and former MPA Sheikh Muhammad Yaqoob. A total of 593,022 male and 278,322 female voters in 1,255 polling booths will cast their votes.
In the 2018 elections, Sheikh Waqas and Ahmed Ludhianvi were defeated by PTI candidate Ghulam Bibi Bharwana who is now contesting from the district Chiniot. Ahmed Ludhianvi is contesting on both NA-109 and PP-127 (Jhang Urban) seats. Ludhianvi’s party member, former MPA Maulana Muavia Azam Tariq has been disqualified for the contests on the alleged charges of association with extremists but his election symbols on ballot papers would make Ludhianvi uneasy. His opponent Sheikh Waqas Akram is now enjoying PTI fame, especially in rural areas of the constituency but will be affected because of the election symbol issue. His father and former MNA Sheikh Muhammad Akram is also contesting on the PP-127 (Jhang Urban) seat on a PTI ticket but with a different symbol. Sheikh Akram said that he was sure of his and son’s victory. Moreover, PMLN candidate Sheikh Muhammad Yaqoob, who belongs to the Sheikh clan of the city, would also give a tough time to both Waqas and Ludhianvi. However, he will also be affected because his wife and former MPA Rashida Yaqoob is also contesting on the provincial assembly seat of PP-127 on a PML-N ticket, political analysts said.
For the NA-110 (Shorkot/ Ahmedpur Sial), election, the main contest is expected between PMLN candidate Muhammad Asif Moavia and PTI-sponsored independent candidate Sahibzada Ameer Sultan who was elected MNA on the same seat during the 2018 elections on the PTI ticket. A total of 578,473 male and 269,085 female voters in 1,254 polling booths will cast their votes.
In the 2024 elections, PML-N candidate Muhammad Asif Muavia is in hot water because his party member and former Chairman of District Council Babar Khan Sial, even after refusal of a party ticket, is still in the field. The PTI-sponsored independent candidate Sahibzada Ameer Sultan is also in a difficult situation because of repeated candidature and due to another important candidate, former MNA Saima Akhtar Bharwana.
Political analysts claim that due to fresh delimitation, the issue of election symbols and the nomination of multiple and repeated candidates, the decision of the winners for all three seats would be decided by a narrow margin.
Meanwhile, District Police Officer (DPO) Rashid Hidayat told The News that a comprehensive security plan had been finalised with the coordination of DC/ District Returning Officer Abdullah Khurram. He said that the candidates were bound to implement the code of conduct enforced by the Election Commission of Pakistan.
This scribe tried to contact the main candidates to get their input on security and other election arrangements besides their plans after winning. But the mobile phones of PTI candidates Sheikh Waqas Akram, Sahibzada Mehboob Sultan and Sahibzada Ameer Sultan, provided to the returning officers, were found switched off as reportedly they were avoiding being arrested. However, PMLN candidates Makhdoom Faisal Saleh Hayat, Sheikh Yaqoob and Rahe Haq party candidate Maulana Muhammad Ahmed Ludhianvi did not attend calls despite repeated attempts by this scribe.
