Special Analysis on Election 2008

General Election 2008.

CHITRAL: There is one seat from Chitral in National Assembly (NA-32) while 2 seats for Provincial assembly PF-89 (Chitral-I) and PF-90 (Chitral-II). Number of registered voters in election 2008 is 197022 in which male register voters are 107804 and female registered voters are 89218. ECP have fixed 206 polling stations for national assembly seat and 636 polling both out of them 291 for female voters and 345 for male voters. Some 120 polling stations have been set up for PF-89 and 86 polling stations for PF-90 constituency.  While in the previous election of 2002 there were total 170954 registered voters in which PF-89 had 97811 registered voters and PF-90 had 73143 registered voters. While Chitral have spread at an area of 14850 square kilometers.

In the general election 2002 there were 4 candidates as Maulana Abdul Akbar Khan was elected as successful candidate on the ticket of Mutahida Majlisi Amal (MMA) by obtaining 36130 votes while Iftikharuddin son of Shahzada Muhayuddin of PML Q obtained 23907 votes, Sardar Ali S Aman of PPP Parliamentarians got 20862 votes, and Abdul Latif Pakistan Tahreek-e-INsaf only 516 votes. Valid votes were 81415, rejected votes were 2572, total votes were 83987 registered voters were 170954 and turn out percentage was 49.13 %.

There are 4 candidates for NA-32 (National Assembly) from Chitral participating in election 2008 Shahzada Ghulam Muhayuddin a candidate on the ticket of Pakistan people’s party parliamentarian (PPPP), Shazada Muhayuddin of Pakistan Muslim League Q group (PML Q), Sardar Muhammad Khan AC retired independent candidate and Nadir Khaja independent candidate  and Maulana Jehangir of MMA.

Shahzada Muhayuddin PML Q success in election by securing 33236 votes, Sardar Muhammad independent candidate was runner up who got 30961 votes, Shahzada Ghulam Muhayuddin of PPPP 18717 votes, Maulana Jehangir Khan of MMA 2679 votes and Nadir Khwaja independent candidates obtained only 697 votes.

Valid votes were 86290 while rejected votes were 3159 and turn out remained 44% at NA-32 election 2008.

There is a great vote bank of Pakistan peoples party but unfortunately they lost their confirmed seat due to wrong decision during issuing of party ticket. District president as well as central leadership issued ticket to Ghulam Muhayuddin which is known as imported candidate by the party workers. And that is why a large number of party workers separated from the party or they supporting Sardar Muhammad who was also a candidate for PPP ticket but was ignored.

The local people and elites of the area are in the opinion that central leadership should to issued party ticket to Wing Commander retired Fardad  Ali Shah whose father Jafar Ali Shah was first member from Chitral of Legislative Assembly in the year of 1956, first member of West Pakistan Assembly in 1965, first Member of National Assembly of Pakistan from Chitral in 1970 and member Majlisi Shura in 1985. who raised a voice for construction of Lawari Tunnel in the national assembly of Pakistan. Elites of the area are in the opinion that Lawari rail tunnel should be renamed with Jaffar Ali Shah tunnel to appraised his services. As Fardad Ali Shah was also desirous candidate for PPP ticket but was ignored as a result PPPP lost their confirm seat of national assembly from Chitral

Some 7 candidates contesting election 2008 for Provincial assembly from PF-89 (Chitral-I). They were Abdul Wali Khan Abid Advocate on the ticket of Pakistan Peoples Party Sherpao group (PPP S), who also resigned from the seat of Nazim Union council Koh. (2). Saleem Khan of PPPP (3) Maulana Abdul Rehman former MPA of MMA and presently contesting on the ticket of JUI-F, 4.  Maulana Abdul Lateef an independent candidate, 5. Sardar Muhammad Khan independent candidate, 6. Fazli Rahim Advocate Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz group (PML N) and 7. Shakoor Muhammad of PML Q who is also former UC Nazim.

There  was critical contesting between Mualana Jehangir Khan ofMMA and Saleem Khan of PPPP who was also elected MPA from this constituency. In election 2008 Saleem Khan secured 12960 votes, Maualana Abdul Rehman of MMA 12322 votes, Abdul Wali Khan Abid of PPP Sherpao group 11586 votes, Shakoor Muhammad of PML Q 7584 votes, Sardar Muhammad Khan independent  894 votes and Mulvi Abul Lateef independent candidate only 726 votes. Some 120 polling stations have been arranged for this constituency while total number of registered voters was 115531, polled votes 52393 valid votes 50436 rejected votes were 1957 turn out remained 45.34 %

Some  4 candidates contested  provincial seat of PF-90 (Chitral-II) in general election of 2008. Prominent of them were 1. Maulana Muhammad Jihangir Khan former MPA on MMA Ticket and, 2. Shahzada Nisar Jilani of PPPP, 3. Mulla Rahim Baig independent candidate and 4. Ghulam Muhammad of PML Q group.

The actual competition was between Maulana Jehangir  of JUI F and Ghulam Muhammad of PML Q. Ghulam Muhammad was declared successful candidate of PML Q by obtaining 13597 votes, nearest candidate was Maulana Jehangir Khan of MMA got 12990 votes, Nisar Ahmad Jilani of PPPP 9651 votes and Mula Rahim Baig independent candidate only 678 votes. Valid votes were 33666 while 750 votes were rejected.  

According an over viewing on election 2002 there were 4 candidates for only one national seat of NA-32. They were 1.  Maulana Abdul Akbar Chitral who contested election on the ticket of Muttahidda Majlis-e-Amal Pakistan (MMA). Some 36130 votes were polled in his favor and declared a successful candidate for National Assembly seat. Secondly there was Shahzada Iftikharddin a candidate of PML Q who gained 23907 votes, third candidate was Sardar Ali S.Aman of Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarian group some 20862 caste in his favor while 4. Abul Latif of Pakistan Tahreek-e-Insaf got only 516 votes.

In this election valid votes were 81415, rejected votes were 2572, total votes were 83987 total registered voters were 170954 and  (ratio/turn out)  % of votes polled to registered voters was 49.13

In the previous election of 2002 there were 6 candidates for provincial assembly seat of PF-89 (Chitral-I). They were 1. Maulana Abdul Rehman of MMA some 21325 votes polled in his favor and declared successful candidate for Provincial assembly. 2. Sherin Khan of PML Q with 11863 votes, 3 Mirdullah Jan of PPPP with 6291 votes, 4. Fazli Rahim Advocate of PML N with 3382 votes, 5. Muhammad Ajmal Khan Advocate of PPP Sherpao group with 1342 votes and 6 Hussain Ahmad of PPP Shaheed Bhutto group who gain only 170 votes.

Valid votes in the election of 2002 were 44373, rejected votes were 1313, total votes 45686 while registered voters were 97811 in this constituency and % of votes polled to registered voters was 46.71.

The situation was the same in provincial seat of PF-90. There were 6 candidates for Provincial seat of PF-90 out of them were Maulana Jehangir Khan of MMA who succeeded to get 11229 votes and elected as successful candidate for provincial assembly while secondly there was Shahzada Nisar Ahmad Jilani of PPPP with 10924 votes, 3. Saeed Ahmad Khan of PML Q with 7039 votes, 4. Syed Burkhan Shah of PPP Shaheed Bhutto group with 3415 votes, 5. Mumtaz Zareen of PML N with 2279 votes who was later on martyred at the top on Lawari pass while he was crossing snow bound lawari by feet and 6. Zahir Uddin of PPPB Sherpao group with 1885 votes.

Valid votes were 36771, rejected votes were 1322, total votes 38093 registered voters were 73143 % of votes polled to registered voters were 52.08.

In Provincial assembly seat PF-89 Saleem Khan of PPPP defeated former MPA Maulana Abdul Rehman of MMA while at PF-90 Ghulam Muhammad of PML Q defeated Maulana Jehangir Khan former MPA of MMA. Hence Shahzada Muhayuddin maintained his seat. 

There is a brief history career of Shahzada Muhayuddin elected MNA from Chitral.

Elected Member of National Assembly from Chitral NA-32, Shahzada Muhayud Din not a new face in politics of Chitral but having very old career in politics of the area.  He belongs to Royal Family of Chitral who ruled Chitral states from 16th to 20th century who remained on different key posts in the regime of Chitral state. After merging of Chitral in Pakistan in 1969 he was elected unopposed Chairman of District Council Chitral in the year of 1983. He elected as Member National Assembly from Chitral in the year 1985 and was assigned as parliamentary secretary for communication. He was elected once again Chairman District council Chitral unopposed in the year 1987. During the first government of Nawaz Sharif he was once again elected MNA in the year 1990 and was given the portfolio of minister of state for tourism from 1991 to 1992. He was elected once again elected MNA Chitral in the year of 1997 and was selected as Chairman standing committee on government assurance.

G.H. Farooqi PO Box No. 50 GPO Chitral Pakistan telephone No. 0943-302295, 0943-414418, 03025989602, 03469002167