Daily Times

Former Members National Assembly, Noor Alam Khan and Sajid Nawaz are at loggerhead on the politically fertile NA-28 Peshawar-1 constituency where election campaign has picked up momentum despite cold foggy weather.

As only 17 days left in February 8, 2024 general election in the country including Khyber Pakthunkhwa, the political parties and independent candidates including the winner of 2018 and 2008 election, Noor Alam Khan and 2013 election Sajid Nawaz accelerated campaign at NA 28 to get maximum public support ahead of the D-Day.

Political observers said that although about a dozen of candidates are flexing muscle in this constituency, which was created from NA 29 and NA 30 constituencies during past delimitation, but one on one contest is expected between Noor Alam Khan and Sajid Nawaz Khan due to their parties votes bank.

In a public meeting at Laram and Khazana villages, Noor Alam Khan who is contesting election 2024 on JUIF ticket said that creating of employment opportunities for youth through promotion of industrialization, poverty allievation and promoting education besides provision of better healthcare services would be his top priority if elected to power.

He said that eradication of price hike and improving local economy would be his top priority areas if elected. Noor Alam said that he believed in power of the masses and would work for well being of the poorest of the poor and farmers after coming into power.

Sajid Nawaz, who is contesting election 2024 as an independent candidate and was backed by Pakistan Tahrik e Insaf in public address at Darmang and Shah Alam villages, vowed to promote agriculture and improve sanitation services if elected.

He said technical education would be promoted and the problems of load shedding would be addressed besides improving roads infrastructure for better access from agriculture fields to market.

Noor Alam Khan had won the constituency in 2008 election on ticket of Pakistan Peoples Party after securing 27,038 votes and 2018 election on PTI ticket with 71, 158 votes while Sajid Nawaz clinched it in 2013 election on PTI ticket after securing 66,528 votes respectively. Former MNA Qari Fayazur Rehman on MMA ticket was elected from NA 28 after he begged 33,567 votes in 2002 election.

The constituency comprises on rural and urban areas of Peshawar including Haryana, Darmang, Larama, Khazana, Hasangari, Peshawar City and Haryana where literacy ratio is high besides most of its voters are associated with agriculture and government jobs.

“Poor sanitation, inadequate roads, unemployment and poverty would be major challenges for the new MNA elect to tackle after February 8, 2024 election,” said Ali Khan, a voter belonged to Shah Alam village of the constituency. “I will vote candidates for national and provincial assemblies sests on the basis of their past service record and election manifesto of their parties,” he said.

“In my opinion, the manifestos of political parties and past service records of candidates besides young voters would play a crucial role in 2024 election outcomes,” said Professor Dr A.H Hilali, former Chairman Political Science Department, University of Peshawar while talking to APP.

Except PPP, he said the election manifestos of other political parties are still awaited and further delay in this regard would be counter productive for these parties.

Dr Hilali said that the success of political parties in general election 2024 would largely depend on the political behaviour and psychological-economic factors, past service record and manifestos of political parties rather launching of personal attacks, blame games, characters assassination of political leadership and dragging state institutions into politics in public meetings or issuing statements on social media platforms.

Dr Hilali said that young voters were educated that would play an important role in deciding fate of electoral candidates.

ECP statistics revealed that about 127 million registered voters would exercise their right of franchise in 2024 general election out of whom about 72.31 million (56.9pc) were registered in Punjab, 26.65 million in Sindh (21pc), 21.69 million voters (17.1pc) in KP while 5.28 million ( 4.2pc) in Balochistan. Dr Hilali said nearly 50 percent of the population are comprised of female voters and their role are equally significant in election process.

He said around 57.1 million youth aged below of 35 years, making up 45pc of them who are eligible to vote. The number of voters aged 36 to 45 years comes to 27.79 million i.e. 21.88pc and the two age groups if seen together comprise 84.81 million voters or two-third of the total 127 million voters in Pakistan.

He said about 22 million children aged 5-16 years were still out-of-schools (OSC) in the country including 4.7 million in KP due to poverty and socioeconomic imbalances and bringing them under education net would be a big challenge for future political government.

He said that due to chilly weather and security challenges, the importance of social media were further increased in 2024 elections, and all the political parties had already started projection of programs through different social media websites for quick dissemination of information.

He said that all eyes would be on voters turnout in the country especially in hilly snowfall areas of Khyber Pakthunkhwa where bringing voters to polling stations would be a big challenge for political parties.

Dr Hilali said that split mandate was expected in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in election, adding that the role of strong communities besides effective voters mobilization on polling day would be crucial role in outcomes of election 2024.