Political background of Candidates in NA-143 Chichawatani, Sahiwal

Arshad Farooq Butt

A voter does not belong to anyone, nor can a candidate claim that the constituency belongs to him. It was 2008 and the National Assembly Constituency NA-162, which is now known as NA-143. Surprisingly, PPP candidate Chaudhry Zahid Iqbal defeated strong candidate former MNA Rai Azizullah who contested on PML-Q ticket.

The rivals searched the files and disqualified Ch Zahid Iqbal in 2012 for concealing dual citizenship. Chaudhry Zahid Iqbal made a new alignment and again defeated Rai Hassan Nawaz Khan in the by-election 2012 on the platform of PML-N.

In the election 2024, four former MNAs have jumped into this constituency with their respective panels which will give the public a spectacular match like India-Pakistan cricket.

1. Rai Hasan Nawaz Khan

Rai Hassan Nawaz Khan was elected MPA in 1988 by Pakistan Muslim League-N. Hewas elected MPA for the second time in 1990 from the platform of Muslim League-N. In 1993, he lost the election to Ch Munir Azhar. In 1997, he was again elected MPA by Pakistan Muslim League-N.

In the municipal elections of the year 2001, he was elected District Nazim Sahiwal. In the year 2005, he was again elected District Nazim Sahiwal. In the year 2012, he contested NA-162 (Now NA-143) election against Chaudhry Zahid Iqbal in which he was not successful. In 2013 general elections, he participated in NA 162 from PTI and was elected MNA.

In 2016, Rai Hassan Nawaz Khan was disqualified by the court for concealing assets. In 2018, his nephew Rai Murtaza Iqbal was elected MNA from the same constituency. In this way, he has been in politics for almost three decades, most of which consists of district administration and member national and provincial assembly.

2. Chaudhry Tufail Jutt

Chaudhry Tufail Jutt was elected Tehsil Nazim Chichawatni in the 2001 local body elections. He was re-elected  Tehsil Nazim Chichawatni in 2005 municipal elections.

In the 2016 by-elections, Chaudhry Tufail Jutt was elected MNA from NA 162 (now NA 143). In the 2018 election, he contested from NA-149 (now NA-143) on a PML-N ticket and failed to win. In the year 2018, he participated in the election in PP 201 (currently PP 203) on the ticket of Muslim League-N but could not succeed in that too.

In the year 2002, his brother Chaudhry Arshad Jutt was elected MPA from PP-201 (present pp 203) on the ticket of the People’s Party and later joined the PML-Q. In the 2008 election, Chaudhry Arshad Jutt was elected MPA from the same constituency on PML-Q ticket and later joined the Muslim League-N. In the 2013 election, Chaudhry Arshad Jutt was elected MPA from the same constituency by the Muslim League-N.

Chaudhry Tufail Jutt’s brother Chaudhry Hanif Jutt was elected MPA by PML-N in the 2012 by-election from PP-202 (present pp. 204). In the 2013 general elections, he won again from the same constituency.

The year 2016 was a boom year for the Jutt brothers when Chaudhry Tufail Jutt was a member of the National Assembly and Chaudhry Arshad Jutt and Chaudhry Hanif Jutt were members of the Provincial Assemblies.

In this way, the Jutt brothers have spent most of their time in Tehsil Nizamat and Provincial Assembly in the last two decades. During this period, the membership of the National Assembly is included for almost two years.

3. Chaudhry Zahid Iqbal

Chaudhry Zahid Iqbal contested the 1997 and 2002 elections on the platform of the Peoples Party and failed to win. In the 2008 elections, he was elected MNA on PPP ticket from NA 162 (now NA 143) after defeating MNA Rai Azizullah.

He was disqualified in 2012 in dual nationality case. Again, he participated in the election in NA-162 on the ticket of PML-N and won.

A few days before the general elections in 2013, he was disqualified in a dual citizenship case and could not participate in the elections.

In the year 2015, as a result of local body elections, he was elected as the Chairman of District Council Sahiwal. In 2018, he did not get a ticket from PML-N to which he responded effectively.

Thus, Chaudhry Zahid Iqbal’s political career consists of membership of National Assembly and as District Council Chairman. Stable financial position and Arain votes in the constituency are the source of his strength.

4. Malik Nauman Langriyal

Malik Iqbal Langriyal’s political heir Malik Nauman Langriyal was elected MPA from PP 226 (present PP 204) in 2002 as a National Alliance candidate. In 2008, he was elected as MNA from NA-163 on Q-League ticket defeating Begum Shahnaz Javed, Chaudhry Munir Azhar and Saeed Ahmed.

In the 2013 general elections, he lost to Chaudhry Munir Azhar from NA-163. He was elected MPA from PP 202 (present PP 204) on PTI ticket in 2018. In 2022, he defected from PTI and was disqualified and contested the election on the ticket of Muslim League-N and could not win.

In this way, Malik Numan Ahmed Langriyal has been in politics for the last three decades, which includes the period of the national and provincial assemblies.

Claims and expectations of candidates in NA-143 Chichawatni

With the inclusion of more than 70,000 new youth voters in the constituency, the ideological vote has increased. The Rai brothers hope that PTI’s ideological vote and Rai Group’s vote bank will take their victory lead above 20,000. This panel includes former MNA Rai Murtaza Iqbal, former MNA Rai Hassan Nawaz, former MPA Major Sarwar and former MPA Waheed Asghar Dogar.

Malik Nauman Langriyal group claims that they are the consensus candidate of PML-N and Istehkam e Pakistan Party and because of seat adjustment, PML-N did not give ticket to their candidate in NA-143. He is sure that in the next few days, the PMLN candidates contesting as independents will be given a message by the party like it was given in 2012. His panel includes former MNA Malik Nauman Langriyal and his son Malik Falak Sher Langriyal.

The Chaudhry Tufail Jutt group claims that the constituency has been left open by the Muslim League-N. In the 2018 elections, the Rai group had the support of Malik Nauman Langriyal, late Chaudhry Saeed Ahmed Gujjar and the ticket-deprived PMLN factions who are now busy with their own campaigns. Therefore, the Ittehad group of Chaudhry Tufail Jutt will win. His panel includes former MNA Chaudhry Tufail Jutt, former MPA Chaudhry Hanif Jutt, former MPA Rana Riaz and former ticket holder Adil Saeed Gujjar.

Chaudhry Zahid Iqbal is contesting the election from NA-143 and PP-203 from the panel of Aman Group. His panel includes former MNA Chaudhry Munir Azhar’s son Shahid Farooq and Rana Sajjad. Along with the Arain vote, he is also hoping for the Jutt community vote thanks to the alliance with Chaudhry Munir Azhar.

Conclusion

The constituency is not new and alien to any candidate from NA-143. Every candidate has participated in elections from here in the past and has been elected. The Muslim League-N has formed a committee to settle the disputes between its candidates in Sahiwal division. A political development in the next few days could narrow the constituency’s election frenzy to three or two candidates from four. Otherwise, it will be a tight match and the margin of victory for either candidate will be very small.