PESHAWAR: A total of 20 candidates of various political parties and independents are contesting elections on the three provincial assembly seats in Buner district.
Eight candidates are in the run for PK-20, Buner-I. Bakht Afsar Khan of Awami National Party (ANP), former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assembly speaker and Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) leader Bakht Jehan Khan is contesting the election as independent after his party and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) failed to award ticket to any candidate from the platform of Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA).
Another former MPA and leader of JUI-F Maulana Fazl Ghafoor is contesting election from the constituency, Riaz Khan is the candidate of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) awarded ticket to Safiullah Khan, Saleem Khan is the candidate of Allah-o-Akbar Tehreek, Fazal Karim of PTI-Gulalai group and an independent Abdullah is also in the race.
A neck-and-neck contest on the constituency is expected among PTI’s Riaz Khan, JUI-F candidate Fazal Ghafoor Khan and an independent candidate and former four-time MPA Bakht Jehan Khan.
The PTI candidate Riaz Khan was associated with JI but joined the PTI about three year ago. He is the district president of the PTI and was elected as member district council in the local government election.
Bakht Jehan Khan is a seasoned politician and was elected four times to the provincial assembly on the JI ticket.
Maulana Fazal Ghafoor was elected as member Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly in the 2013 general election on the ticket of the JUI-F.
Independent observers said that the division among the JI and JUI-F may benefit the PTI candidate.
The ANP candidate Afsar Khan is also considered to be among the top favourites candidates in the constituency.
Some of the areas included in PK-20 are Daggar, Kalail, Pir Baba, Torwasak, Bampokha, Anghapur, Sultanwas, Kingargali, Bazargai, Jowar, Katkala, Bhai Kalay, Pacha Kalay, Elum, Batal, Malakpur, Elai, Bar and Kuz Gokand and others. The number of voters in the constituency is 165,858 including 93,583 men and 72,275 women.
Similarly, a total of six candidates including an independent, are contesting elections from PK-21 constituency.
The PTI has awarded ticket to Fakhar Jehan Bacha, ANP to Qaiser Wali Khan, and JI to Nasir Ali, while Sar Zamin Khan of Pakistan Islamic Republican Party (PIRP), Talimand of Awami Workers Party and an independent candidate Sardar Ali are also in the run.
A nail-biting contest is expected among Qaiser Wali Khan, Engr Nasir Ali and Fakhar Jehan.
Qaiser Wali was elected MPA on the ANP ticket in the 2008 general elections and considered a strong candidate.
Nasir Khan is the son of former three-time JI MPA and provincial minister Habibur Rehman.
The JI has a solid vote bank in the constituency and Nasir Khan is expected to give a tough time to other candidates.
Sardar Ali, who is a JUI-F leader and contesting the election as independent candidate, is also among the top four favourite candidates for the seat.
The number of voters in the constituency is 142,617 including 79,809 men and 62,808 women.
A total of six candidates are contesting election on the renumbered PK-22 constituency as well.
The situation in the constituency is very interesting where a close contest is predicted between three parties, ANP, JI and PTI.
A former provincial minister and ANP leader Sardar Hussain Babak is heading for a hat-trick in the constituency.
Raj Wali Khan is the candidate of the JI, Abdul Kabir Khan of the PTI, Syed Muhammad Shamsher of PPP and an independent Yousaf Ali.
Sardar Hussain Babak is contesting election for the fourth time. He won the seat PF-77 Buner in the 2008 and 2013 elections. He had lost the seat in the 2002 election to Jamshed Khan of the Pakistan People’s Party-Sherpao, now Qaumi Watan Party.
His uncle and former provincial minister Mohammad Karim Babak had won the family seat twice in the 1988 and 1997 elections.
Some of the areas part of the constituency are Totalai, Chinglai, Dagai, Ambela, Kowga, Nawagai, Makhranai, Langar, Amlook, Malak Amazi, Kangalai, Bagh, Sawawai, Kas Koroona, Kawga village, and Ghazi Kot.
The total number of voters in the constituency is 136,999 including 76,911 men and 600, 88 women.
