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HARIPUR, Nov 05 (APP): A total of 13 candidates have entered the field for the upcoming by-election of NA-18 Haripur with the main contest expected between Pakistan Muslim League (N) candidate Babar Nawaz Khan and independent candidate Sheher Naz, wife of Omar Ayub Khan.
Political analysts predict a closely contest between the two contenders, as both camps have launched vigorous campaigns across the constituency.
According to reports, Omar Ayub Khan and members of his family are actively running Sheher Naz’s election campaign, while on the other hand, the PML-N leadership has mobilized its full strength in support of Babar Nawaz Khan.
Prominent PML-N leaders including Captain (R) Muhammad Safdar Awan, former Chief Minister and senior leader Pir Sabir Shah, and Provincial General Secretary Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Murtaza Javed Abbasi are leading the campaign efforts, with the party’s local and provincial leadership fully engaged.
Speaking to the media, PML-N leaders said that their party stands for “development and national stability” and vowed that the PML-N’s victory in Haripur would help address the district’s longstanding issues and accelerate development.
Voters in different areas of Haripur recalled that during Babar Nawaz Khan’s previous two-year tenure, he initiated multi-billion-rupee development projects, including the extension of natural gas supply, construction of new grid stations, and installation of electricity poles and transformers throughout the district. They believe that his return to Parliament would bring a new era of progress to Haripur.
However, several citizens criticized the provincial government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, now completing its third consecutive term, for failing to improve essential services in the district. They pointed out that despite repeated promises, key facilities including the Trauma Center, hospitals, and educational institutions remain in poor condition.