oting is our right. It is also our duty,” said Shazia Batool, a resident of Bosan Road in the NA-148 constituency where a by-election was held on May 19.

“It’s sweltering but we’re here to exercise our right to vote. That’s the only way we can bring about a change,” she said.

Batool, a student of international relations, said that she opposed dynastic politics. “Political dynasties limit competition, exacerbating many problems including corruption, poverty and abuse of power. My decision [to vote] was influenced by my stance against dynastic politics,” she said.

Seven candidates contested the by-election. The main clash was between Syed Ali Qasim Gilani of Pakistan Peoples Party and Sunni Ittehad Council’s Barrister Taimur Altaf Malik. With the mercury rising to 46 degrees Celsius during daytime, voter turnout remained low.

Gilani, the PPP candidate, won with 85,863 votes; Barrister Malik bagged 52,354 votes; Malik Amir Azhar Sandila of Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan 2,242 votes and the Jamaat-i-Islami candidate 381 votes. Three independent candidates were also in the run. Amjad Hussein received 314 votes, Khalid Javed Warriach 375 votes and DrRubina Akhtar 629 votes.

NA-148, Multan I, has been the stronghold of big landholders. The dynasties have occasionally been challenged by turncoats and some other heavyweights. Gilanis, Bosans, Mahays, Buchas, Dehrs, Buthas and Syeds are the clans having significant political representation in the constituency.

The by-election was called Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, the former prime minister who had won in the general election with a margin of 293 votes vacated the seat to contest the Senate election. He was later elected the Senate chairman.

According to the Election Commission of Pakistan data, there were 444,231 voters in the constituency. The number of male voters was 233,624 and of female voters 210,607.

275 polling stations were set up including 72 for men, 72 for women and 131 combined polling stations. There were a total of 933 polling booths, out of which 485 were reserved for men and 448 for women.

… the by-elections have exposed fissures in some political parties and set off new alignments.

69 polling stations were declared ‘highly sensitive,’ 75 were placed in the B category and 131 in the C category. A total of 2,555 officials including 611 police officers performed security duties on the polling day.

Commenting on the by-election result, former MPA Malik Ishaq Bucha said that, with these polls, the Gilanis had set a new record in parliamentary history. “Gilanis have a voter base in the area. They’ve provided people with employment and carried out development work. Now, with Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani in the Senate and his sons Syed Ali Qasim Gilani elected from NA-148 Multan-I, Syed Ali Mua Gilani from NA-151 Multan-IV, Syed Abdul Qadir Gilani from NA-152 Multan-V and Syed Ali Haider Gilani from PP-211 Multan-I, the extent of their influence is beyond dout,” he said.

Some political pundits say the by-elections have exposed fissures in certain political parties and set off new alignments. Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz withdrew its candidate in the by-poll and announced unconditional support for Gilani. This led to differences in the PML-N. Old guard Malik Sikandar Hayat Bosan rejected the adjustment. He put up banners and posters depicting pictures of Nawaz Sharif and Imran Khan urging PML-N supporters to vote for the SIC candidate, Barrister Taimur Malik rather than the PPP candidate.

In a press conference, Bosan said that the PML-N was his ‘mother party.’ He said it was unfortunate that the PML-N leaders had chosen to support his ‘rivals’ [the Gilanis]. He alleged that when Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani was prime minister false cases were registered against him. He said the PML-N had disappointed him and forced him to support the SIC candidate.

The PML-N also disappopinted Malik Ahmed Hassan Dehr who had left the PPP after developing differences with Gilani’s sons. He had contested the 2018 election on a Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf ticket and won. When there was a no-confidence motion against Imran Khan, however, he had voted against the PTI leader. The PML-N had then awarded him the party ticket for NA-148 for the February election which Yousuf Raza Gilani won.

NA-148 is also known for other reasons. Its mango orchards are currently threatened by urban development. According to Malik Altaf Ali Khokhar, a former PPP Central Executive Committee member, Zulfikar Ali Bhutho had recommended that the area be reserved for mango plantation.

“Chairman Bhutto ordered a soil survey of the area from Bund Bosan to Shujabad-Jalalpur Pirwala along the Chenab . The tests established that air quality, environment and groundwater were suitable for the plantation of mangoes. The PPP government then initiated the plantation of mangoes. For this, the people remember Bhutto fondly,” he said.

The writer is the bureau chief of The News in Multan. He may be reached at trisign69@yahoo.com