PESHAWAR: Pakistani Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and National Party (ANP) Awami Provincial President Aimal Wali Khan vie in by-election for politically fertile national assembly district (NA-24) Charsadda-II is scheduled for 25 September.
After finishing of examination of nomination documents of nine candidates, including the PTI chairman and former Prime Minister Imran Khan and ANP Provincial President Aimal Wali Khan via returning officer, now all eyes are on NA-24 Charsadda-II, where one-on-one a contest between the two leaders is expected.
Aimal Wali Khan, who this is son of ANP President Asfandyar Wali Khan and joint candidate of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) contests by-elections for in first time for national assembly place from his hometown of Charsadda and probably give tough time for the PTI chairman.
Story of in past the elections showed that the ANP won constituency for record six times while JUI-F three times and PTI only once.
Details of general elections held from 1970 to 2018, this constituency was won three times NPP President Asfandyar Wali Khan, two times Khan Abdul Wali Khan and once Begum Naseem Wali Khan. Maulana Hassan Jan Shahid of JUI-F wins in Elections 1990 and Maulana Gohar Shah won it twice while Fazal Muhammad Khan of PTI was victorious in this constituency in in general elections 2018.
In the 1970 elections, the head of the APP, Abdul Wali Khan, won with 34,359 votes. votes while his wife Begum Naseem Wali Khan secured the victory on in ticket of Pakistan National Alliance (PNA) with 48 653 votes during the 1977 elections
Abdul Wali Khan regained his seat in in the 1998 elections after receiving 63,185 votes. However, Abdul Wali Khan lost to Maulana Hasan Jan Shahid of JUI-F. in the 1990 elections after the latter received 66,452 votes as a result former left practical politics. ANP President Asfandyar Wali Khan was elected member of in national assembly for this constituency in 1993 election with 56 164 votes and the 1997 elections with 55 059 votes respectively.
In 2002 general JUI-F candidate Maulana Gohar Shah wins election with 55 917 votes while Asfandyar Vali of the ANP again elected in 2008 election after receiving 38,835 votes votes. In the 2013 elections, this seat was again taken by Maulana Gohar Shah. on ticket of JUI-F with 53 610 votes and Fazal Muhammad of PTI won in a landslide in elections 2018 with 83 596 votes.
Former Chairman of the Department of Political Science, Prof. Dr. A.Kh. Hilali said that the by-election in Charsadda on one side will determine the popularity of in party and voter sentiment for elections 2023 on another side.
He said time would tell if the third generation ANP wins or if PTI regains its seat once accepted. of resignation of MNA Fazal Muhammad.
Literacy rate in the politically fertile electorate was relatively higher than NA-23 Charsadda-I, where support of other political parties and big baradaris will matter. Most of this is people connected with government jobs, agriculture, trade as well as overseas employment.
Competing candidates began to attend wedding and funeral services and address corner meetings to convince maximum public support. Election campaign campaign would heat up as voting day approaches in Charsadda.
Other candidates in run are: Azizullah Khan, Falak Naz, Fawad Ahmad, Fazal Muhammad Khan, Mujibur Rehman, Shakeel Bashir Khan and Sparley Muhammad. They started to apply corner meetings to persuade voters.
