Both Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) and Awami National Party (ANP) will fight tooth and nail on the NA-7 and NA-8, Charsadda as both parties claiming themselves champion of Pakhtun rights but it will prove on may 11 to claim the throne of the district. Beside these two parties, the JUI-f, JI and PML-N and PPP have also fielded their candidates for each constituencies to counter the influence of both QWP and ANP in charsadda.On NA-07 Charsadda Asfandyar Khan, Chief of Awami National Party, will face Najma Zeb of Qaumi Watan Party, who is wife of former MPA Alamzeb Umarzai. Alamzeb Umarzai was killed when unknown armed persons opened firing on him in Charsadda, however her wife is active to replace her husband. Other candidate include Maulana Gohar Shah of JUI-F, Arshad Khan of JI, Fazal Mohammad of PTI, Khanimullah of PPP and Kaleem Akbar Durrani of PML-N.
On the NA-08 Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao will face ANP candidate and former MNA Taimur Khan, Sajjad Anwar Khan of the PML-N, Wasifullah Khan of PPP, Maulana Abdul Mastaan Khan of JI, Dr Ilahi Jan of JUI and Anwar Taj of PTI will try their luck.
Sherpao has twice held the office of chief minister in KPK. He was also appointed a federal minister for water and power and is the brother of PPP founding member and ex-governor Hayat Muhammad Khan Sherpao.
Aftab Sherpao remained the PPP’s provincial chief for some time but later formed his own faction, which later renamed as the QWP in 2012. Ex-MNA Taimur Khan is the son of Dawood Khan and grandson of Abdul Akbar Khan. Khan is one of the province’s few feudal lords and owns thousands of acres of land. He has the support of ANP but is opposed by the Mohmand tribe in the area.
On the PK-17 Qaumi Watan Party has fielded candidate Sultan Mohammad Khan against Mohammmad Ahmad Khan of Awami National Party. Other candidates include former ANP MPA Adul Shakoor who has recently joined JUI-F, PPP candidate Qaisar Jamal, Misbahullah of JI, PTI candidate Abid Jan and PML- N candidate Mian Hamayun Shah.
On the PK-18 Charsadda Arshad Ali Umarzi of Qaumi Wata Patry will face former provincial Minister Barrister Arshad Abdullah of Awami National Party, Mohamamd hashim Khan of JUI-F, Taimur Khan Khattak of PPP, Ihsanullah Khan of PML- N, Akbar Jan of JI and Tariq Adam Khan of PTI.
On the PK-19 Khalil Khan of QWP will contest against ANP candidate Khalil Bashir Umarzi, Naeem Khan of PPP, Ilahi Jan of JUI-F, Mohammad Babar Khan of PTI, Pir Masood Jan of JI and Orangzeb Khan of PML-N. The PK-20, PK-21 and PK-22 constituencies were won by the QWP in 2008. However, in the by-elections, ANP’s Taimur won the PK-20 seat. This time, the QWP has allotted a ticket to Mohmand Khalid Khan in PK-20, who was a runner-up in the by-elections as an independent.
The JUI-F has given a party ticket to Mufti Gauhar who lost the 2008 election while the ANP has supported Khadim Shah Safi, a resident of Mohmand, to counter Khalid Mohmand. In this constituency, the Communist Mazdoor Kissan and Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami parties also have a solid vote bank. JI candidate Samiullah for PK-21 and Qari Shah Hussain PK 22 are also aspirants for these seats.
As for PK-21, QWP Provincial President and ex-MPA Sikandar Sherpao will contest against ANP leader and former special advisor to the chief minister Syed Masoom Shah. In 2008, Sikandar had defeated Masoom Shah while Fakhre Alam Khan, a journalist-turned-JUI-F leader and PML-N’s Mushtaram Shah will also contest the elections.
Masoom shah has done a great contribution to the welfare of the community during the past five years and will prove difficult to defeat for Sikandar. Journalist Fakhre Alam on the other hand has the support of Javed Khan’s family, who recently joined the JUI-F. It is to be noted here that if JUI-F agree on seat to adjustment with Qaumi Watan Party in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, there are bright chances of success for both the parties.
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