Politics takes new turn in DI Khan

DERA ISMAIL KHAN: Political scenario in all the five provincial seats of DI Khan has changed after candidates with strong tribal as well as family backgrounds notched up victories with the MMA not gaining even a single seat.

In the 2002 elections, 26 independent candidates out of total 46 candidates contested in the five constituencies. Three winners were independent candidates.

PF-64: Seventeen candidates were in the race and the real fight took place among Hafeezullah Alizai (PPPP), Hafiz Hamadullah (MMA) and Khalifa Abdul Qayyum. Khalifa won the seat by securing 14,696 votes. His close rival was Hafizullah Alizai who got 12,244 votes.

The polling turnout was 31.95 per cent.

PF-65: Former Dera Ismail Khan Nazim Lateefullah Alizai, brother of Hafeezullah Alizai, took on debutant Maulana Ubaidur Rehman, brother of Fazlur Rehman.

The main fight occurred between Latifullah Alizai and Abdul Haleem Qasuriya. Alizai won the seat by securing 13,595 votes. Qasuriya got 10,745 votes. The polling ratio was 62.73 per cent.

PF-66: Maulana Lutfur Rehman of JUI-F, the brother of Maulana Fazlur Rehman, did a lot for the development of this constituency.

But he lost to Sanaullah Khan Miankhel of PML-Q, who won the seat by securing 18,353 votes against Lutfur Rehmanís 16,709. The polling ratio was 41.71 per cent.

PF-67: This constituency is the stronghold of the Gandapur clan and late Sardar Inayatullah Gandapur's son Israrullah Gandapur (PPP-S) won the seat, which he secured in 2002 as a debutant. Israr toppled JUI-F's Maulana Lutfur Rehman.

He got 15,047 votes while Lutfur Rehman secured 8,611 votes.

The polling ratio was 37.93 per cent. Lutfur Rehman and Israr were the only two party-backed candidates and the rest of candidates were independent and not politically strong.

PF-68: Independent candidate Murid Kazim Shah reached an electoral alliance with the JUI-F to ensure he retained the seat that he won in 2002.

He faced Ihtesham Javed Akbar Khan, son of Javed Akbar Khan, who won the seat four times. Murid Kazim won the seat by getting 28,406 votes against Ihtesham's 28,211 votes.

The polling ratio was 51.86 per cent. In 2002, Akbar Khan did not contest because of the graduation bar.

This time, he was disqualified on a Madrassa degree. Kazim was PPP-S parliamentary leader in the erstwhile NWFP Assembly. Kazim had a slight edge over his rival.

(http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=97257)