In 2018 election district Chitral will be NA-1 of the National Assembly. For NA-1 there is seen to be very tough competition among the aspirants of different parties. The horns are locked between Pakistan People Party (PPP), Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaaf(PTI), Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PMLN) and MutahidaMajlis-e-Amal (MMA).
Saleem khan is contesting election from the platform of PPP, who remained member of provincial assembly twice, in 2008 and again in 2013, now he is aspirant for National Assembly seat from the same platform. Abdul Latif is aspirant for the seat of NA-1 from PTI platform who is leading youth in Chitral. Moulana Abdul Akbar comes forward from MMA platform that has strong hold on right wing votes in Chitral. IftikharUddin is now contesting election from the platform of PMLN, who was member of National Assembly after winning election from All Pakistan Muslim League (APML) platform in 2013 and now again in the field.
Chitral has a history of more turn-out, almost all the voters from this region casting their votes in every election and it will be continue in up-coming election too. This election as compare to the past is going to be the tough one as giant contesters are in the field. It will not be easy win or lose game and it is going to be the closest one. No one will be able to get a huge lead until they know the role of independent aspirants.
The votes in this region are now highly divided as compare to 2013 election. All these four contesters have highly strong hold in few major areas.
If we talk about the vote bank of PPP, the people of Arandu will vote for Saleem khan. PPP will be able to get divided votes from Torkoh, Mulkoh due to Benazir Support Program Cards and conservative voters of PPP from Mastuj area will vote too. The people of Lotkoh which is hometown of Saleem will vote in less number as compare to the past due to one reason i will discuss later.
The vote bank of PTI is youth from every area of Chitral. The people of Upper Chitral will vote for PTI and it will be also able to get few votes from Lower Chitral. If it became able to get few votes from right wings and conservative voters then there is a good chance for PTI to win this.
The people from main Chitral city, Drosh, AYon and other right wing supporters will all vote for MMA. Moulana Abdul Akbar is one among the major aspirants. The people from Torkoh and Molkoh are also supporter of MMA.
The vote bank of Iftikhar is present in the main Chitral city. The people of Torkoh and Molkoh will vote for him too due to his strong agents working there. He will be also to get few votes from Mastuj area on the basis of his past few works and current giant agents working for him in different areas.
The competition is very too for all the parties and it is early to say who will win. Here the role of ShehzadaTaimoor, who is independent contester for NA-1 is very important. His target is the vote bank of Lotkah, Arkari, Oxor Karimabad. He is the major obstacle in the path of Saleem Khan. The voters of Saleem khan are now convinced to vote for Shehzada Taimoor. The rift between Saleem and Taimoor is going to be bad fortune for Saleem on Election Day. The PPP failed to shake hand with Taimoor and he stood against them now.
Although the contest is very tough and here Shehzada Taimoor is going to be a great broker if any party became able to get him on-board, especially among PTI and PPP. The voters of ShehzadaTaimoor are early deciders who decided to vote for him only due to some personal sympathy.
As the Election Day is coming closer and timing is running out, it is a good opportunity for PTI and PPP to shake hand with Taimoor and convince him, if any party among these became able to get him in then that party is going to win.
Shams RN is Islamabad based writer.
