The fresh allocations of constituencies in the National Assembly of Kasur district has thrown some local political figures out of the electoral arena.
According to reports in the local media, Kasur, earlier, comprised five constituencies — NA-138 to 142 — while 10 constituencies for the provincial assembly were reduced to nine in 2018.
In the 2002 election, Khursheed Mahmood Kasuri made it to NA-140 from the platform of PML-Q by securing 50,318 ballots against independent Maulana Moeenuddin Lakhvi who bagged 49,399 votes.
In the 2008 polls, Sardar Aseff Ahmed Ali of PPP carried the day by securing 41,626 votes while PML-Q’s Kasuri polled 32,155 votes and Dr Azeem Zahid Lakhvi, son of Maulana Moeenuddin Lakhvi, got 29,605 votes.
Later, in 2012, Sardar Aseff left the PPP and joined PTI. In the by-election, Malik Rasheed Ahmed, an independent candidate, carried the day against his rival Zahid Lakhvi, another independent candidate by a narrow margin of 89 votes.
Similarly, in the 2013 elections, Malik Rasheed Ahmed of PML-N obtained 69,212, defeating Khursheed Mahmood Kasuri of PTI (30431) and Sardar Aseff Ahmed Ali (independent -19,150). Dr Azeem Zahid Lakhvi of PML-Q secured 50,488 votes.
As NA-140 has been converted into NA-138 and NA-139, Khursheed Kasuri and Malik Rasheed are out of the electoral game.
Kasuri has decided not to contest the election as he seems uncomfortable in NA-138. Sardar Aseff would contest the election from NA-138.
Ahmed is striving to enter NA-138, the constituency of PML-N’s Waseem Akhtar who had secured over 100,000 votes in the last election.
Out of 32 union councils in old NA-140, 13 UCs have been shifted to [new] NA-138. They include Marali, Bairon Khudian, Khai, Sandha, Dholan, Pial Kalan, Mandi Usmanwala, Rajowal, Thathi Usmanwala, Veeram Jhagian, Gohar, Khudian city, and half councils of Hussain Khanwala and Fatehpur.
Other UCs have been shifted to [new] NA-139. They include Bhagiana, Daokay, Talwandi, Pakhoki (half), Jajal, Kul, Thathi Bukhshi, Ladi, Gahlan, Arzanipur (half), Mokal, Bairon Kanganpur, Gandi Roop Singh, Akikay, Bhagiwal, Maschana, Jamshaiar Kalan and Kotha Kalan.
Like NA-140, its provincial constituency – PP-179 – has been divided between new PP-174 and PP-175.
Old PP-179 from where Punjab government spokesperson Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan was elected as MPA in 2002 and 2013 has been divided into PP-176 and PP- 174.
Under the new constituency, Khan lost seven UCs – Sandha, Pial Kalan, Usmanwala, Rajowal, Najabat, Daokay and Talwani. In return, he has got new UC – Hussain Khanwala, Bazeedpur, Sheikhamad, Badian, Maan, Sahjra, Mahalam, Noorpur and Fatehpur.
