Amidst serious challenges like terrorism, electricity load shedding and growing economic disorder, the forthcoming by-elections will become a serious issue for the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government in general and Chief Minister Pervaiz Khattak in particular.
Like in all other parts of the country, the by-elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will be held on five National and four provincial assembly constituencies after Eidul Fitr.
However, filing of nomination papers and fielding of candidates will commence in these nine constituencies in a few days.
The by-elections will be held on the National Assembly seats in Peshawar, Nowshehra, Swabi, Lakki Marwat and Tank and elections for provincial assembly seats will be held in Mardan, Hangu and Bannu.
PTI Chairman Imran Khan vacated the National Assembly seat in Peshawar, Khattak vacated a National Assembly seat in his native town, Nowshehra, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Speaker Asad Qaisar vacated a seat in Swabi, while two National Assembly seats, one in Lakki Marwat and the other in Tank, were vacated by Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl chief Fazlur Rehman.
Former chief ministers Amir Haider Khan Hoti vacated a provincial assembly seat in Mardan, and Akram Khan Durrani in Bannu.
The provincial assembly seats in Mardan fell vacant due to the death of Imran Mohmand and the one in Hangu fell vacant due to the assassination of Farid Khan.
Per political precedents, a ruling party is bound to win maximum number of seats in by-elections. However, as it has just been two months since the KP government came into power and there still seem to be rifts among the party ranks, the task seems very tough for Chief Minister Khattak.
The Jamaat-e-Islami, PTI’s coalition partner in KP, is likely to demand a National Assembly seat, either in Peshawar or Nowshehra.
The JI leadership intends to force Khattak to field Asif Luqman Qazi. son of late Qazi Hussain Ahmad on the Nowshehra seat, however, it is learnt that Khattak wants to field his nephew on the same seat.
So far leaders of the Qaumi Watan Party are silent and seem willing to support the PTI candidates in the by-polls but they are also likely to demand one of provincial assembly seat in Mardan.
The case of Awami Jamhoori Ittehad, commonly known as the Swabi group, is different as it already has an understanding with the PTI, Pakistan Today has learnt.
Meanwhile, opposition parties are also facing internal problems on the issue of by-elections. So far the PML-N, the JUI-F and the ANP parliamentary leaders have agreed on fielding joint candidates in the by-elections but the PPP leaders are reluctant to do so.
The PPP leaders are confused as party’s provincial chief Anwar Saifullah Khan is on a visit abroad and he does not want to support the JUI-F and the ANP candidates.
Pakistan Today has learnt that Anwar’s family wants to field Jehangir Saifullah Khan on the National Assembly seat in Lakki Marwat on a PTI ticket. Javed Saifullah Khan, father of Jehangir and brother of Anwar, is already a part of the PTI.
So far understanding is being developed amongst the parliamentary party leaders of opposition parties which could be harmful for Chief Minister Khattak.
The PTI leaders are also trying their best to make it hard for the opposition parties. In Bannu, Malik Mustafa, son of late Iqbal Khan, considered to be a rival of Akram Khan Durrani joined the PTI. Mustafa might be PTI’s candidate on the provincial assembly seat vacated by Akram Khan Durrani.