The contest for this National Assembly constituency (NA-128) will be a repeat of five years ago, but whether the result will be a repeat is hard to predict.
Malik Afzal Khokhar of PML-N defeated Malik Karamat Khokhar of PPPP to take the NA-128 seat in 2008. The incumbent faces the same opponent here again, but this time Karamat is wearing PTI colours. Incidentally, Karamat (then with PML-Q) also lost to Afzal in 2002, when they both ran for PP-160.
Clearly, being a Khokhar wins votes in this constituency, which consists mostly of semi-urban areas and pockets of middle and upper class localities. There are said to be over 100,000 Khokhar voters here, which amounts to more than a third of all registered voters in the 16 union councils that make up NA-128. The Khokhars are particularly ubiquitous in Samsani Pind and Shahpur Kanjaran.
This was forecast as a close battle earlier in election season, but Afzal appears to have gained an edge when two influential local figures, angry about the award of PTI tickets, defected to the PML-N. These were Sarfaraz Khokhar, who commands strong support in Shahpur Kanjran, and Tahir Ashraf Bara, who introduced the PTI in the area, according to party workers.
The Jamaat-i-Islami is a strong third favourite in the race, with the party headquarters at Mansoorah located in this constituency, but it has been absent from the electoral scene for a decade, having boycotted the 2008 elections. Its candidate, Zahoor Wattoo, is believed to have little chance.
The main gripes of NA-128 residents are a lack of good schools, sewerage and clean drinking water. The housing societies along Multan Road and Raiwind Road lack civic facilities. Niaz Beg and Hanjerwal villages are notorious drug-peddling dens.
Though the previous PML-N-led government built a flyover at Thokar Niaz Beg and redeveloped Multan Road from Thokar Niaz Beg to Chauburji, it did little work on inner roads. It also left several housing societies with major wastewater problems, as a sewerage line was not laid prior to the redevelopment.
Residents of Hanjerwal and Niaz Beg villages said that they had invited Afzal Khokhar to several meetings but he had not shown up, making them feel that they were not valued.
The PML-N has the largest publicity campaign in the area, followed by the JI and then the PTI. However, the latter has a strong presence in some two dozens housing societies, where candidates have been going door-to-door.
There are two provincial assembly constituencies up for grabs here, PP-160 and PP-161. Former chief minister Shahbaz Sharif is among the candidates for the latter seat.
NA candidates
Afzal described himself as a “grassroots worker” and denied that people were dissatisfied with the development work. He said that he faced no serious competition for the seat.
Karamat Khokhar said that if the PTI support and passion he saw on the street could be translated into votes, he would win the seat. He conceded that his candidature had suffered a blow when Sarfaraz Khokhar left the party, but added that the PTI still had strong support in Shahpur Kanjran.
JI candidate Wattoo claimed to have the support of more than 100,000 voters, as well as of nuclear scientist Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan. He has handed out pamphlets highlighting Dr Khan’s support in the area, though Dr Khan later released a television advert stating that he was not backing any party in the elections. Wattoo insisted that Dr Khan supported him and had been part of his election rally on March 22.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 8th, 2013.