CHAKWAL: The stage is set for a very close contest in two national and four provincial assembly seats in Chakwal district on July 25, the elections day.
The major contest is between PTI and PML-N, while PPP and MMA have also fielded their candidates. 53 candidates from different parties are contesting these elections.
The district returning officer and local administration have declared 74 polling stations as more sensitive and special security arrangements are to be made for them. Sardar Zulfiqar Ali Khan Dulha of PTI is facing PML-N candidate Major (r) Tahir Iqbal at NA-64. The main contestant Sardar Ghulam Abbas of PTI had been ousted from the elections race after Supreme Court rejected his nomination papers for not mentioning all his assets.
Abbas had then announced to support the PTI candidates which is why they have an edge over the rivals. Ch Sultan Haider Ali of PML-N will face PTI’s Raja Yasir Sarfraz and a very close and keen contest is expected on this seat.
Malik Tanveer Aslam Sethi of PML-N is contesting with Raja Tariq Afzal Kallas of PTI. Raja Rizwan Dandot of PPP is also in the field. At NA-65 Ch. Parvez Elahi of PML-Q who also had a backing of PTI is facing Sardar Faiz Tamman of PML-N.
Sardar Mamtaz Tamman a sitting PML-N’s MNA was denied the ticket, therefore, Mamtaz Tamman is supporting Ch. Parvez Elahi. Sardar Mansoor Tamman, who was denied PTI ticket at this seat also contesting as an independent candidate.
Sardar Aftab Akbar of PTI is facing Col Mushtaq Ahmed Awan of PML-N, Sardar Zulfiqar Ali Khan returned the PML-N’s ticket on this seat and he took the ticket of PTI at NA-64 when the nomination papers of Sardar Ghulam Abbas were rejected. Hafiz Ammar Yasir of PML-Q who has also backing of PTI is contesting against Shahryar Awan of PML-N at PP-24.
The election campaign entered into a decisive stage and so far, 1.5 million people of Chakwal have a little interest in these general elections as from the start of the election the election seemed to be dull. No major leader of PTI and PML-N has planned to address big public meetings in Chakwal.
The arrest of Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz would gain a sympathy vote in favour of PML-N’s candidates and in the past Chakwal District is considered to be a stronghold of PML-N.