Elections 2018: A look at political heavyweights, involved in interesting electoral fights

ISLAMABAD: A strong yet ‘unpredictable’ electoral battle is expected in a number of constituencies where different political bigwigs are on the field to demonstrate their vote power.

Candidates have been campaigning and reaching out to voters in constituencies to highlight their objectives, priorities, past performance and future plans to convince voters to cast the ballot in their favour.

Heavyweights contesting the polls in their strongholds include Imran Khan, Shehbaz Sharif, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Asfandar Wali Khan, Siraj ul Haq, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan.

It is pertinent to mention that the social media has emerged as a major tool for candidates to connect to their votes like never before. A number of candidates, particularly those running independently, are making rigorous use of the cyberspace to woo their voters, without a worry of expenses.

In the overall scenario, leading political personalities are contesting from following constituencies:

NA-3 Swat-II

Contestants: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shahbaz Sharif, Pakistan Tehree-e-Insaf’s (PTI) Saleem Rehman, Pakistan People Party’ (PPP) Shahrayar Amirzeb, Awami National Party’s (ANP) Abdul Karim are contesting the election.

Heavyweight: Shahbaz Sharif

 

NA-7 – Lower Dir

Contestants: Ameer Jamat-e-Islami (JI) Siraj-ul-Haq, PML-N’ Sobia Shahid, PTI’s Muhammad Bashir Khan and ANP’s Nazir Khan are challenging each other in the election.

Heavyweight: Siraj-ul-Haq

 

NA-8 Malakand

Contestants: Chairman PPP Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, PTI’s Junaid Akbar, ANP’s Inam Ullah Khan, Muttahida Majlis-e-Ammal’s (MMA) Gul Naseeb Khan are in the run.

Heavyweights: Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Gul Naseeb Khan

 

NA-21 Mardan-II

Contestants: Former chief minister KPK Amir Haider Azam Khan, PPPP’ Syed Abid Ali Shah and former PTI minister Muhammad Atif are contesting the election.

 

NA-23 Charsadda-I

Contestants: Qaumi Watan Party’s Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao, PTI’s Anwar Taj, PML-N’s Begum Tahira Bukhari and ANP’s Gulzar Ahmed Khan are in the field.

Heavyweights: Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao

 

NA-24 Charsadda-II

Contestants: ANP Chief Asfandyar Wali Khan, PTI’s Fazal Muhammad Khan, and MMA’s Maulana Muhammd Gohar Shah are fighting for the National Assembly seat.

Heavyweights: Asfandar Wali Khan

 

NA-25 Nowshera-I

Contestants: Former chief minister Pervez Khattak, PML-N’s Siraj Muhammad Khan, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (Gulalali ) Ayesha Gulalai Wazir and PPP Khan Pervez contesting the election.

Heavyweights: Pervez Khattak, Ayesha Gulalai

 

NA-35 Bannu

Contestants: PTI Chairman Imran Khan, MMA’s Akram Durrani and PPPP Syeda Yasmin Safdar are contesting the election.

Heavyweights: Imran Khan, Akram Durrani

 

NA-38 Dera Ismail Khan-I

Contestants: MMA president Fazl Ur Rehman, PPPP’s Faisal Karim Kundi , PML-N’s Akhtar Saeed and PTI’s Ali Amin Khan are trying their luck to become the member of the National Assembly.

Heavyweights: Fazl Ur Rehman, Faisal Karim Kundi

 

NA-39 Dera Ismail Khan-II

Contestants: MMA president Fazl Ur Rehman, PTI’s Muhammad Yaqoob Sheikh and PPPP’s Nurang Khan are contesting the election.

 

NA-53 Islamabad-II

Contestants: Former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and PTI chief Imran Khan will be face on face.

 

NA-57 Rawalpindi-1

Contestants: Former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, PTI’s Sadaqat Khan and PPPP’s Mehreen Anwar Raja are challenging each other in the election.

 

NA-63 Rawalpindi-7

Contestants: Chaudry Nisar Ali Khan, PPPP Syed Ishrat Ali Zaida, PTI Ghulam Sarwar Khan are contesting the election.

 

NA-69 Gujrat-2

Contestants: Former chief minister, deputy prime minister Parvez Elahi, PML-N’s Ch Mubasher Hussain and PPPP’s Wazir un Nisa are contesting the election.

 

NA-70 Gujrat-3

Contestants: PML-N’s Jaffar Iqbal, former governor GB Qamar Zaman Kaira and PTI’s Syed Faiz Ul Hassan are contesting the election.

 

NA-73 Sialkot-3

Contestants: Former foreign minister Khawaja Asif, PPPP’s Zarrar Mahmood Malik and PTI’s Muhammad Usman Dar are vying for the seat.

 

NA-78 Narowal-2

Contestants: Former Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal and PTI’s Abrar Ul Haq are contesting the election.

 

NA-196 Jacobabad

Contestants: Former chairman Senate Muhammad Mian Soomro and PPPP’s Aijaz Hussain Jakhrani will be facing each other.

 

NA-200 Larkana-1

Contestants: PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and MMA’s Rashid Mehmood Soomro are contesting the election.

 

NA-208 Khairpur-I

Contestants: Former chief minister Syed Ghous Ali Shah and PPPP’s Nafeesa Shah are contesting the election.

 

NA-213 Shaheed Benazirabad-I

Contestants: Former president and co-chairman of PPP Asif Ali Zardari and GDA’s Sardar Sher Muhammad Rind Baloch will contest the election.

 

NA-220 Umerkot

Contestants: Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Hussain Qureshi, PPPP’s Nawab Muhammad Yousaf Talpur and former chief minister Arbab Ghulam Rahim are contesting to become the member of the parliament.

 

NA-240 Korangi Karachi-II

Contestants: Chairman of Mohajir Qaumi Movement Afaq Ahmed and Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan’s Iqbal Mohammad Ali are contesting the election.

NA-243 Karachi East-II

Contestants: PTI chief Imran Khan, People’s Party’s Shehla Raza, MQM-P’s Syed Ali Raza Abidi, PSP’s Muhammad Muzammil Qureshi and others contesting from this constituency of Karachi-East.

NA-246 Karachi South-1

Contestants: PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, PML-N’s Saleem Zia and PTI’s Abdul Shakoor Shad will be in the run.

 

NA-247 Karachi South-2

Contestants: MQM-P’s Muhammad Farooq Sattar, PSZ’s Fauzia Kasuri, PPP’s Abdul Aziz Memon and PTI’s Arif Alvi are contesting the election.

 

NA-249 Karachi West-2

Contestants: PML-N president Shahbaz Sharif and PTI’s Muhammad Faisal Vawda will challenge each other to become member of National Assembly.

 

NA-250 Karachi West-3

Contestants: ANP’s Shahi Syed and PSP’s Syed Hafeezudeen will contest the election.

                                         NA-253 Karachi Central-I

 

In NA-253, head of PSP Syed Mustafa Kamal, PPPP’s Chaudhary Muhammad Javed Ishaq, PTI’s Muhammad Ashraf Jabbar and others contesting the election.

 

NA- 254 Karachi Central-2

Contestants: Head of Mohajir Qaumi Movement Pakistan Afaq Ahmed and MQM-P’s Shaikh Salahuddin will challenge each other for the seat of National Assembly.

 

NA-255 Karachi Central-3

Contestants: MQM-P’s Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui will face PTI’s Mehmood Baqi Moulvi and PML-N Nasir Uddin Mehmood.

 

NA-267 Mastung-cum-Shaheed Sikadarabad-cum-Kalat

Contestants: Sardar Sanaullh Zehri, PPPP’s Ayatullah Durrani and MMA’s Syed Mehmood Shah are contesting the election.

 

NA-269 Khuzdar

Contestants: PML-N’s Sardar Sana Ullah Zehri and Balochistan Awami Party’s Mohammad Khalid Bizenjo will contest the election.

 

NA- 272 Lasbela-cum-Gwadar

Contestants: Balochistan Awami Party’s Jam Kamal Khan, MMA’s Allah Bakhsh and PTI’s Ali Ahmed will face each other for the NA seat.