Like the previous general elections, about 30 heavyweights of various political and religious parties are again in the field in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for general election 2024.
According to the Election Commission of Pakistan, besides others stalwarts, PML-N Quaid Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and Shahzada Ghustasip Khan are contesting election from NA-15 Mansehra.
PML-N KP President Engr Amir Muqam filed his nomination papers for two National Assembly and one provincial seats, including his home district Shangla and Swat.
Chief of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) Maulana Fazlur Rehman is trying luck in his home district i.e., NA-44 Dera Ismail Khan where he will face Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Faisal Karim Kundi and former federal minister Ali Amin Gandapur. The latter is contesting election as an independent candidate.
Gandapur had won 2018 election from the same constituency, while PPP’s Faisal Karim Kundi and Maulana Fazlur Rehman were elected in the past polls.
Barrister Gohar Ali Khan is in the field for NA-10 Buner, Umar Ayub Khan for NA-18 Haripur, former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaisar Khan for NA-19 Swabi, and Sher Afzal Marwat for NA-41 Lakki Marwat as independent candidates.
ANP’s central senior vice president and former chief minister Ameer Haider Hoti will contest for NA-22 Mardan, central general secretary Mian Iftikhar Hussain for PK-89 in Nowshera, and senior leader Ghulam Ahmad Bilour for NA-32 in Peshawar.
ANP provincial president Aimal Wali Khan will contest for NA-25 in Charssadda, and provincial general secretary Sardar Hussain Babak for PK-27 Buner.
The PPP awarded tickets to its provincial president Najmuddin Khan for NA-5 Upper Dir, Anwar Saifullah Khan for NA-43 Tank, and Faisal Karim Kundi for NA-44, D I Khan.
Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Amir and former senator Sirajul Haq will contest the election for the National Assembly from his native Dir district, while KP Amir Prof Ibrahim will try his luck from PK-102 Bannu, and former senior provincial minister Inayatullah Khan for PK-13, Upper Dir.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-Parliamentarian (PTI-P) Chairman and former chief minister Pervez Khattak will contest from NA-33 and PK-88 from his native district Nowshera.
On NA33 Nowshera-1, tough electoral battle is expected among Pervez Khattak, Pakistan Muslim League-N Khyber Pakthunkhwa Information Secretary and former member provincial assembly, Ikhtair Wali Khan, Awami National Party’s Khan Pervez, Barrister Sarwar of Pakistan Tahrik e Insaf and Ijazul Haq of Jamiat Ulema Islam-F.
A unique phenomena of 2024 general election is the participation of all family members of PTIP Chief, Pervez Khattak, including his son-in-law Dr Imran Khattak and his sons whose nomination papers were accepted for all the national and provincial assemblies’ seats.
Pervez Khattak filed nomination papers for NA-33, PK-87 and PK-88 while nomination papers of his nephew and son-in-law Dr Imran Khattak were accepted for NA-34 and PK-89 respectively.
Pervez Khattak’s sons Ibrahim Khattak and Ismail Khattak are contesting from PK-85 and PK-86, respectively. Former KP Information Minister and Awami National Party leader, Mian Iftikhar Hussain is eying on PK-89 while PMLN’s Ikhtiyar Wali filed nomination papers for NA-33 and PK-88.
The papers of Awami National Party’s Khan Pervez, Barrister Sarwar Khan, Mustafa Anwar, Fayyazur Rahman of PML-N, Mufti Shakatullah and Ijazul Haq of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl were accepted for NA-33 Nowshera-I.
Major-Gen (r) Saad Khattak of Aam Admi Party, Mian Babar Shah of ANP, Mian Khaliqur Rahman, Haji Akbar, Daud Khattak, Shaiq Amin of Tehreek-e-Labbaik, Hamza Pervez of PML-N, Alhaj Pervez Khan of JUI-F, Idrees Khattak of PPP and others are contesting for NA-34 Nowshera-II and provincial constituencies.
NA-33 Nowshera-I was previously won by Siraj Muhammad Khan in 2013 general election after securing 54,266 votes against Syed Zulfiqar Ali Shah of PML-N’s with 34,537 votes while in 2018 general election it was clinched by Pervez Khattak with 82,118 votes against Khan Pervez of PPP with 35,658 votes.
Pervez Khattak was also elected from NA-34 Nowshera-II in 2013 general election after securing 70,053 votes against runnerup Daud Khan Khattak of ANP with 21,493 votes.
Later, Pervez Khattak resigned from NA-34 and retained NA-33 Nowshera-I. Later, his son-in-law Dr Imran Khattak won NA-34 in by-election after securing 48,043 votes against Daud Khattak of ANP’s with 27,569 votes.
In the 2018 election, this constituency was again won by Dr. Imran Khattak after securing 90,256 votes against Jamal Khattak of ANP’s with 47,132 votes. The total registered voters in NA-34-Nowshera-II are 377,306.
Similarly, former chief minister and central vice president of the PTI-P Mehmood Khan will contest for two National Assembly and one provincial assembly seat from Swat.
Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) central chairman and former federal minister Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao will contest for NA-24, Charsadda, and his son Sikandar Khan Sherpao, who had been elected to the provincial assembly thrice but lost in 2018, will fight for the KP Assembly from Charssadda.
Awami National Party’s (ANP) central president Asfandyar Wali Khan is not contesting polls due to illness and his son Aimal Wali Khan is contesting NA election from Charsadda.
