According to unofficial results compiled from all polling stations, Pakistan Muslim League – N’s Babar Nawaz won the race for the National Assembly seat from Haripur’s NA-19 constituency, with Dr Raja Amir Zaman of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) coming in at second place. Per consolidated unofficial results from all polling stations, Babar Nawaz bagged 116,624 votes with PTI’s Zaman accumulating 78,512 votes. The success for the PML-N – despite the absence of Omar Ayub Khan, its previous candidate for the seat, whose family has played a strong political role in the area for years – puts it several strides ahead of the PTI in terms of electoral politics. It also signifies that the ruling party does not appear to be as unpopular and as unsuccessful as the PTI has been indicating in its various speeches, with the voters of Haripur putting their faith strongly behind its candidate. The fact that Babar Nawaz’s father, Akram Nawaz – a former MPA from the area who was assassinated – had done a considerable amount for the development of the region, acted in his favour. But this was not the only factor in his success in an election which 30 percent of registered voters come out and vote. With the PTI losing in Haripur, the picture is becoming clearer. The PTI electables, weren’t the best people from the traditionally powerful parties. They were already losing ground and losing votes, no matter what party they were a part of. Those who were losing in a winning party are now losing in a losing party. The PTI has had to absorb these losses. The electables are not electable at all- they are dead weight.The reasons for the failure of the PTI do not end here. There is repeated talk of the PTI also going the way of “dynastic politics” with Reham Khan’s interference. They party is wary of her. The words of estranged Justice (Retd) Wajih ud Din have also not helped. He has clearly pointed out four people part of the PTI “Qabza mafia”: Aleem Khan, Nadir Leghari, KPK Chief Minsiter Pervez Khattak, and Jahangir Tareen. Remember the Rawalpindi Cantt elections? Out of 20 seats the PML-N won 19, and the Jamaat-e-Islami got 1. The PML-N has many faults, and its top leadership is currently embroiled in it own scandals, but it is the Grand Old Party of Pakistan. It wins elections and gets votes as the by elections have proven. Just because some of the fish is rotten, does not mean that the whole party is. There is massive grassroots support for the Patwaris that we do not see. The PTI and its dharnas created a spectacle, but in the big bucket of national votes, the PTI is but a drop.
pk.shafaqna.com
