KOHAT: As general election draw near, candidates of mainstream political parties have geared up their election campaign to mobilise their voters and supporters to strengthen the prospects of their electoral victory.
This time around, tough and nail biting competition is expected in NA-32 constituency between Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA).
The PTI has given a ticket to its former MNA from this constituency Shehryar Afridi, PML-N has fielded Abbas Afridi while Gohar Muhammad Khan is contesting on MMA ticket.
In 2013 elections, Shehryar Afridi had bagged 61,742 votes, Gohar Mohammad, Khan who had contested election from JUI-F platform, secured 31,886 and Malik Asad of PML-N got 13,670 votes.
Shamim Afridi, the father of now PML-N candidate Abbas Afridi, had contested election as an independent candidate and obtained 19,056 votes.
The PTI is confident to retain this seat on basis of KP government’s performance in which a number of development schemes, including carpeting and widening of roads were done.
Imran Khan also addressed a huge rally in Kohat last week which charged PTI workers especially the youth.
Gohar Muhammad Khan, who was the runner-up in last general elections, is enthusiastically running his campaign in both urban and rural areas of the constituency and is quite optimistic about his win.
Abbas Afridi, on the other hand, provided new gas and electricity connections to many villages and localities during the tenure of PML-N government. Besides that, as a senator, he also carried out development work and distributed hundreds of transformers in the area.
Abbas claimed that people would vote for him on the basis of his services and performance.
All three political parties are contesting elections with a strong panel on three provincial assembly seats that fall under NA-32.