The election campaign for the by polls in PK-69 Tank has reached its peak with 31 candidates is in the run, including a female candidate Rahat Afshan. A tough contest is expected between PPP candidate Engineer Dawar Kundi and veteran politician Habibullah Kundi (independent).
Besides Pakistan Peoples Party candidate and his main opponent ex-provincial minister Habibullah Khan alias Babu Khan, JUI-F candidate Abdul Qader Khan Bittani, the brother of late MPA Gulistan Bittani are also in the run, posing close threat to his success. JUI-F had a plan to retain the slot.
Veteran politician Habibullah Khan earlier got party ticket by joining ruling Awami National Party after disqualification of JUI-F MPA Haji Gulistan Bittani by the Supreme Court in fake degree case.
It is to be noted that the former was then on PML-Q ticket and defeated by the later in 2008-general elections. It seems that seat adjustment agreement made by the ruling parties ANP and PPP on Tank and Shangla by polls are not being fulfilled.
The PPP fully supported ANP, while the later had expressed its commitment that it would not contest on PK-69. People in the area believed that withdrawal of candidature by ANP could no more beneficial for PPP because the main and eminent rival Babu Khan with changed face is not ready to withdraw from candidature and still in the run.
Recently, the ANP spokesman Mian Iftikhar had also made it clear that the ruling ANP would not devise from its firm commitment regarding support to PPP candidate who had withdrawn its nominee (Afsarul Mulk) at Shangla seat, which was retained by the main opponent.
The PPP candidate Engineer Dawar Kundi is a son of another former provincial minister Amanullah Kundi. In 2008 general elections he fought on NA 25 but was defeated by JUI-F candidate Maulana Attaur Rehman.
It is also confirmed that Habibullah Kundi was warned about the revolt and it may faced disciplinary action against him but he (Habibullah Kundi) is strict to his stance of taking part in the by polls.
Kundi in response to such action against him complained that being a candidate he had not been taken into confidence when seat-to-seat adjustment agreement was being made by the ruling parties.
Kundi claimed that he has been enjoying overwhelming backing among the electorate in the past and this time he was confident to regain the seat. In the past he won provincial assembly seat from Tank for four times in a row during the period from 1985 to 1997.
There would be tough fight in between two prominent tribes like Kundi and Bittani tribe as Habibib Ullah Kundi is hailing from Kundi tribe while the JUI-F candidate is from Bittani tribe.
The other eminent candidates in the election race are Shaikh Ehsanullah (independent) Sajjad Ahmad Marwat of Jamaat-e-Islami and Ms Rahat Afshan another independent candidate. The election campaign is in full swing as more corner meetings is being held by the candidates besides campaigning in Jatatur, Gomal bazaar, Bittani and Kundian circles of PK-69. There are 74,800 male and 50,214 female voters in PK-69 constituency who would cost their right of vote on February 29.
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