A neck-and-neck competition is expected between Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) heavyweight Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan and Ghulam Sarwar Khan of Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI), on NA-53 (Rawalpindi IV), in the upcoming general elections. All the major political parties have started a feverish election campaigns for one National Assembly seat - NA-53 (Rawalpindi-IV) and two provincial assembly seats PP-7 (Rawalpindi-VII) and PP-8 (Rawalpindi-VIII).
The total population of the area is 4,84,192 while the number of registered voters is 3,43,853. The PML-N and PTI are considered to be the main competitors in the upcoming general elections while the position of Pakistan People's Party (PPP) is not that strong in the said constituency compared PTI and PML-N. However, Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) may compete with PTI and PML-N to a great extent as the party has enough supporters.
The JI has turned down a seat-to-seat adjustment with PML-N and announced the names of its candidates for one national and two provincial assembly seats. The JI leadership has fielded Khawaja Mohammad Waqar Khan as its candidate for NA-53 (Rawalpindi-IV) and PP-7 (Taxila-Chakri) while Professor Mohammad Waqas Khan will be its candidate for PP-8 (Wah Cantt).
But the real competition will be between Ghulam Sarwar Khan and Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan-two heavyweights, having a strong vote bank in the area. Ghulam Sarwar Khan won from this constituency in 2002 as an independent candidate with 66,900 votes while Chaudary Nisar Ali Khan remained runner up with 57,110 votes. In 2008 Chaudhry Nisar Ali won the elections with a huge margin by securing 72,257 votes and Ghulam Sarwar who was contesting on PML-Q ticket came as runner up with 49,068 votes.
However, the political landscape of the constituency has completely changed after Ghulam Sarwar Khan joined the bandwagon of PTI hence his popularity has also increased due to his new political party led by Imran Khan. The election campaigns of all the political parties are in full swing. Chaudhry Nisar of PML-N who is contesting from both NA-53 and PP-7, have already addressed a mammoth public rally in Taxila recently while Imran Khan is expected to address a huge rally on April 29.
Haji Umer Farooq has given a go ahead nod by PML-N to contest elections from PP-8 (Wah Cantt) and PTI leadership has nominated Malik Taimour Khan as candidate for PP-8 and Shafeeq Khan, younger brother of Ghulam Sarwar Khan is a candidate for PP-7 on PTI ticket.
The position of PPP, a major political party, is not up to the mark in NA-53 and to be more precise a close look at the position and background interviews with locals, gives an impression as the party is not a position to give any tough to its rivals. The PPP has fielded two new faces - former Justice Intikhab Shah for NA-53 and Safeer Khan for PP-8 (Wah Cantt) along with former MPA Chaudhry Kamran Ali Khan for PP-7 (Taxila-Chkari).
The PML-Q has almost disappeared from the scene after Ghulam Sarwar Khan and his brother Shafeeq Khan parted ways the party and joined the PTI. The PML-Q is still looking for a candidate to contest elections from the constituency. It is widely believed that PTI would damage PML-N vote bank in the area as the whole elections process revolves around some families - Chaudhrys, Gujjars, Khans, Kashmiris, Syeds etc-which possess strong vote bank and will certainly play an important role in changing the political chessboard of the area.
An election security plan has also been finalised for the area. According to ECP election security plan, out of 223 poling stations in NA-53, 15 have been declared highly sensitive and placed in category "A", while six polling stations have been declared sensitive and placed in category "B". In this constituency, 3,76,874 registered voters would cast their votes, besides deputing 1,366 presiding officers.