Daily Times

LAHORE: It would not be an easy task for Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan to secure his first ever victory from Lahore due to the rigorous campaign run by his strong opponent and one of the Pakistan Muslim League’s (PML-N) stalwarts Khawaja Saad Rafique.

NA-131 consists of some posh localities of the metropolitan city including Defense Housing Authority and cantonment localities whereas areas including RA Bazaar, Nishat Colony, Cavalry, Walton, Kamahan, Bedian, Airport, Bhatta Chowk and Chungi Amar Sandhu also falls in the constituency while some six seats of Provincial Assembly also fall in NA-131.

Having 364,213 registered voters in NA-131, 242 polling stations would be established for 198,699 male and 165,514 female voters falling in the constituency while PP-158, 159, 162, 163, 166 and 168 are also part of NA-131 that is the new constituency of Lahore. The list of candidates contesting for NA-131 further include renowned singer Jawad Ahmed, former federal minister Humayun Akhtar Khan, Asim Mahmood of Pakistan People’s Party, Syed Murtaza Hassan of Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan and Waqar Nadeem Warraich of Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal.

12,161 votes are registered in PP-158 from where Rana Ahsan Sharafat of PML-N and Aleem Khan of PTI are in the race. In PP-159, 48488 votes are registered while Hafiz Nauman of PML-N and Dr Murad Ras of PTI are contesting from here. Yaseen Sohl of PML-N and Aleem Khan of PTI would fight a close contest in PP-162 where 187,809 voters are registered. In PP-163, Mian Naseer of PML-N and Bilal Aslam of PTI would fight the real contest where 86,514 voters are registered. For 17,074 registered votes of PP-166 falling in NA-131, the real contest would be witnessed between Ramzan Siddique Bhatti of PML-N and Abdul Karim Rahi of PTI. In PP-168 where 12,167 voters of NA-131 are registered, Khawaja Saad Rafique of PML-N and Feyaz Bhatti of PTI are in the race.

Although, the supporters of PTI are expecting an easy victory for Imran Khan in NA-131 keeping in view his following in the posh areas but the victory of Khawaja Saad Rafique cannot be ruled out as he never lost any election since 1997 and his opponent Imran Khan never won from Lahore despite the fact that he himself contested from the metropolitan in 1997, 2002 and 2013.

“Yes, there are many posh areas in this constituency but it is a reality that only three to four votes are registered in a single large-scale house of these posh areas whereas one can witness that around ten to 15 voters are registered in lower-income house that also constitute a large area of the constituency,” said Mohsin Ali, a resident of Nishat Colony near Walton. He further added that Saad Rafique has done several development projects in his last two consecutive tenures in the area including Hazrat Rabia Basri Degree College for women and Government Khawaja Rafique Shaheed College for boys and therefore he can give tough time to Imran.

Kiran Aleem Khan, Aleem’s wife who also ran campaign for Aleem and Imran in the constituency, said that she witnessed remarkable response from the voters in the constituency who are eagerly waiting for today (Wednesday) to cast their votes for PTI and Imran.

“July 25 would rewrite the history of Pakistan when a New Pakistan would be created due to tireless efforts of Imran to get rid of corruption from this country,” she said.

Moreover, Saad raised reservations over the new delimitations while saying that his old constituency was split into three new constituencies only to give benefit to PTI and NA-131 was especially crafted for Imran who is the beloved of the system.

“How is it possible that six Provincial Assembly seats are falling in one single NA constituency but this rarity is here in my constituency?” he said, adding that he is quite hopeful of his victory as he has visited each and every street of his constituency whereas Imran even doesn’t even know the total registered voters of NA-131. However, Humayun Akhtar factor can go in the favour of Imran as Akhtar, a former member of the National Assembly of the constituency has just joined PTI and he also has some personal votes in the constituency.

NA-129 seems to be a secure seat for PTI as revealed in the survey of the constituency.

The real contest in this constituency would be held between former National Assembly speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq of PML-N and PTI’s Central Punjab President Aleem. The constituency consists of areas including Mayo Garden, Mian Mir Village, Mughalpura, Shami Road, Taj Bagh, Sadar Cant, Ghaziabad, Dharampura, Garhi Shahu, Harbanspura, Askari IX, X and Joray Pul having a total of 404,802 registered voters. As many as 279 polling stations would be established in NA-129 for 221,756 male and 183,046 female voters of the constituency.

Published in Daily Times, July 25^th 2018.