As the nation gears up for the upcoming general elections in 2024, political parties are actively preparing for the electoral battle, sparking discussions on candidate matchups, strengths, weaknesses, and anticipated competition in various constituencies.
A noteworthy debate has surfaced following the issuance of tickets by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in National Assembly Constituency NA-67 of Hafizabad district, Punjab. This constituency has become distinctive as it features a contest between two female candidates.
Hafizabad, with a population of more than 1.3 million, boasts 810,723 registered voters, including 439,770 male voters and 370,953 female voters, according to the Election Commission of Pakistan. The district has three National Assembly seats and one Provincial Assembly seat, with the National Constituency transitioning from NA-87 to NA-67 in the recent realignment.
Know more: Here is the list of PTI candidates for national assembly seat for elections 2024
Historically, NA-67 Hafizabad has been a pivotal constituency, witnessing closely contested elections. The political landscape here has been dominated by the Tarar and Bhatti families, specifically Afzal Hussain Tarar and Mehdi Hasan Bhatti, over the decades.
Read more: PTI unveils Punjab, Sindh, KP and Balochistan Assemblies contenders for Feb 8 elections
In the current electoral scenario, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has nominated former Federal Minister of State Saira Afzal Tarar for this crucial constituency. In contrast, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has fielded Anika Mehdi, daughter of former Member National Assembly Mehdi Hasan Bhatti. This sets the stage for a compelling electoral showdown, continuing the longstanding political dynamics in NA-67 Hafizabad.
Saira Afzal Tarar
Saira Afzal Tarar, the candidate from the Muslim League Nawaz, is the daughter-in-law of former President of Pakistan, Rafiq Tarar. She secured her first election to the National Assembly in the 2008 general election and was re-elected from the same constituency in the 2013 general election. In the latter, she became a member of the House of Commons. In June 2013, she was appointed as the Minister of State for Health.
Aniqa Ahmed
Aniqa Ahmed, running on the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) ticket, is a first-time participant in the elections. Her father, Mehdi Hasan Bhatti, had previously been elected as a member of the National Assembly from the same constituency. In the last election, her brother, Shaukat Ali Bhatti, won the MNA seat from this constituency on a PTI ticket.
Past results
According to the Election Commission of Pakistan, in the 2008 general election, Saira Afzal Tarar secured victory in NA 102 Hafizabad (former constituency) with 56,313 votes, while the Pakistan Muslim League-Q candidate, Chaudhary Shaukat Ali Bhatti, was the runner-up with 42,808 votes.
General elections 2013
In the General Election of 2013, Saira Afzal Tarar secured her second term as a Member of the National Assembly, obtaining 93,013 votes from the same constituency under the Muslim League-Nawaz ticket. Her rival, Chaudhary Shaukat Ali Bhatti, ran as an independent candidate and secured 67,462 votes, placing him in the second position.
General election 2018
Moving on to the General Election of 2018, the constituency changed to NA 87 Hafizabad One. Shaukat Ali Bhatti, contesting on the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf ticket, emerged victorious with 165,618 votes. Saira Afzal Tarar became the runner-up with 157,453 votes.
As the campaign for the General Election 2024 has commenced, Saira Afzal Tarar has invited former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to this constituency, with Chief Organizer Maryam Nawaz also participating in the event on Thursday. On the other side, the Bhatti family has initiated their election campaign, primarily focusing on corner meetings. A notable factor in their limited campaign is the imprisonment of PTI founder Imran Khan.
It is essential to mention that following the annulment of intra-party elections, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf has withdrawn the election symbol. Consequently, party ticket holders are participating in the election as independents. Aneqa Mehdi Hasan Bhatti from NA-67 is contesting the election with the symbol of Radio.
Despite the issuance of the MNA ticket to Syed Waseem-ul-Hasan Naqvi by the Pakistan People's Party in this constituency, a challenging and intriguing contest is anticipated between Saira Afzal and Aneqa Ahmed.
