Political Rivals Pose Serious Challenge To Pervez Khattak In Home Constituency Of Nowshera

Nowshera is all set to witness a tight electoral battle on NA-25 constituency where former Chief Minister KP, Pervez Khattak has been challenged by senior politicians of mainstream parties in his home district where all candidates have almost equal chances to secure this important seat.

PESHAWAR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 6th Jul, 2018 ) :Nowshera is all set to witness a tight electoral battle on NA-25 constituency where former Chief Minister KP, Pervez Khattak has been challenged by senior politicians of mainstream parties in his home district where all candidates have almost equal chances to secure this important seat.

As many as seven candidates are in run for this political fertile NA-25-Nowshera-I (previously known NA-5) constituency including former Chief Minister KP Pervez Khattak (PTI), former MNA Siraj Muhammad Khan (PMLN), Khan Pervez (PPP), Syed Zulfiqar Ali Shah (MMA), Ayesa Gulalai (PTI-G), Malik Juma Khan (ANP), independents Muhammad Sher Ali, Ahrar Khan Khattak and Ijazul Haq.

However, the real electoral fight is expected among Pervez Khattak, Khan Pervez, Malik Juma Khan, Syed Zulfiqar Ali Shah and Siraj Muhammad Khan on July 25.

Pervez Khattak is considered to be the strongest candidate as he has deep roots in the district as being a native and political background.

He was elected MPA five time, remained provincial minister thrice and became 22nd Chief Minister of KP (2013-2018).

Being is a close aide of Imran Khan, Khattak had received his early education at the Aitchison College, Lahore, more or less in the same years when PTI Chairman was also a student and both were reported to be class-fellows.

Khattak is a very senior politician, who started his political career as a member of the District Council in 1983 and later elected to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly five times, the last time on May 11, 2013.

He remained minister of industries twice and once served as irrigation minister in ANP-led government in KP and later resigned after developing serious differences with the then ANP Govt.

Kattak also remained the first district nazim in Nowshera and is the cousin Nasrullah Khattak who served the chief minister of the province when Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was the prime minister of Pakistan.

Known for changing his political loyalties, Pervez Khattak also remained the provincial president of Pakistan People's Party-Sherpao (now renamed Qaumi Watan Party) and also served in PPP for long times.

In 2013 General Election, he had easily won NA-26 (former NA-5) and provincial assembly PK-64 (previously called PK-13) seat on PTI ticket.

He is also contesting 2018 election from his home constituency PK-64 Nowshera-IV where he would face political rivals Shahid Kattak of ANP, Pervez Khan Khattak MMA, Haider Ali Shah Tahrik Labaik Pakistan, Zahoor Ahmed of PMLN and Mian Yousaf Jamal Shah Kakakhel of PPP.

ANP has fielded a relatively strong candidate and President of Nowshera district, Jumma Khan who is expected to give tough time to Pervez Khattak.

ANP has a large vote bank in the constituency as evident of results of 2008 election that was comfortably won by Masood Abbas Khattak on ANP ticket after obtaining 36,835 votes against PPP-S candidate Mian Jamshed-ud-Din Kakakhel 27,951 votes and PPPP's Mian Muzaffar Shah stood third with 20,358 votes respectively.

Syed Zulfiqar Ali Shah who stood runner up in the last general election is contesting election on MMA ticket for NA-26 as the five religious parties alliances with major partners of JUIF and Jumat e islam has significant vote bank in the constituency. Former MNA Maulana Hamidul Haq has won this seat on MMA ticket in 2002 general election after securing 33,242 votes against runner up Naseer Ullah Khan Babar of PPP, who bagged 16,655 votes.

Former MNA Siraj Muhammd Khan who achieved easy victory in 2013 election after securing 54,266 votes against political rivals Syed Zulfiqar Ali Shah of PML-Q with 34537 votes and ANP's Masood Abbas Khattak with 20136 votes, is again contesting upcoming election from here on ticket of PMLN.

Siraj Ahmed Khan had switched over to PMLN after quitting PTI due to differences with the party leadership. He has also a strong candidate with deep roots in the constituency.

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