PESHAWAR: Major political families affiliated with the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) have fielded their offspring and inexperienced politicians for city mayor slot.
The city mayor is an important post, however, no political party has fielded seasoned candidates. According to critics, such an important post is being used by the political parties to flourish the political career of their offspring. The PPP has fielded Arbab Zarak Khan, the son of senior PPP politicians, Arbab Alamgir and Asma Alamagir.
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Zarak has lost the 2018 general election on KP assembly seat but has not enough experience to serve the city which is facing myriads of problems. He claimed that his parents and grandfather has also served the city, thus, he is the right candidate for this important position.
Like the PPP, the JUI-F has fielded Haji Zubair Ali, son of senior politician and industrialist Haji Ghulam Ali. Zubair Ali is the son-in-Law of JUI-F chief Mualana Fazlur Rehman. Though his father has served Peshawar as Nazim but Zubail has no such experience. Moreover, senior JUI-F stalwart and Former Member KP Assembly Khalid Waqar Chamkani is vying for Chamkani tehsil. The party believes that due to the wealth and connections of Ghulam Ali, his son can secure the seat and can start his political career. The JUI-F has the support of PML-N, making him one of the favourte candidates for Peshawar’s mayor slot.
The Awami National Party (ANP) has selected Sher Rehman for city mayor seat. He is one the staunch supporters of the ANP and has close affiliation with the Bilour family. The candidate has lifelong affiliation with ANP. Talking to Mashriq Tv, Rehman said that the former rulers have never focused on resolving the issues of the city. He said that he is a simple worker of ANP and remained the member of district council, general councilor of his area and general secretary of city district, Peshawar, thus, he is not a new name for the city.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf ([PTI) candidate Rizwan Bangash is also a new entry to politics. He remained the General Secretary of PTI’s Peshawar Region. The PTI is presenting him as a “Youngman with higher education in solid waste management and good governance.” Like other candidates, Bangash does not belong to an influential political family of the province. Born in Peshawar, Bangash has obtained his graduation from a university in Australia. He claims that he has vast experience in Sanitation, Landscaping and waste management. “I’ve already crafted a plan to make a Peshawar a smart, green and sustainable city,” Bangash told Mashriq. Bangash claimed that his is a self-made man and not the result of hereditary of politics.
The Jama’at-e-Islami (JI) has fielded Bahrullah advocate, a seasoned Islamist politician in the city but unlike the other three major parties, he has little chance to secure victory. There are a total of 16 candidates, including the independent ones, vying for the Peshawar’s mayor slot.