Mainstream Pak political parties award tickets mostly to landlords

Three mainstream political parties, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP,) Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) and Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid-e-Azam (PML-Q) have fielded a majority of landlords in the general elections scheduled for January 8 next year, according to a survey.

Islamabad, Dec 8 : Three mainstream political parties, the Pakistan People's Party (PPP,) Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) and Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid-e-Azam (PML-Q) have fielded a majority of landlords in the general elections scheduled for January 8 next year, according to a survey.

However, Maulana Fazlur Rehman's JUI-Fazlur has primarily awarded tickets to religious leaders and the Awami National Party of Asfandyar Wali Khan and the Pakistan People's Party-S of Aftab Ahmed Sherpao have mostly chosen businessmen, revealed the survey conducted by the Free and Fair Election Network which represents the country's 30 leading civil society organisations in 38 constituencies and 59 districts of the four provinces.

The survey revealed that 52 of 112 candidates of the PML-Q are landlords and the PPP has almost the same number of landlords among its 114 list of candidates.

Of its 96 candidates, the PML-N has given tickets to 39 landlords.

The Jamaat-i-Islami of Qazi Hussain Ahmed has given tickets to landlords in seven of 54 constituencies and the JUI- Fazlur to four of 42 constituencies. The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) of Altaf Hussain has given tickets to landlords in eight constituencies out of 40.

The ANP has fielded landlords in four of 23 constituencies and its rival PPP-S has awarded tickets to as many landlords among 17 candidates.

As far as businessmen are concerned, the ANP and the PPP-S have each awarded tickets to businessmen in eight constituencies. The PML-N has fielded 24 businessmen and the PPP 26. The PML-Q has awarded tickets to 33 businessmen.

The JI has fielded businessmen as its candidates in 11 and the JUI-F in seven constituencies. The MQM has fielded six businessmen and the PML-F three.

According to the survey, the MQM has given 23 tickets to candidates from the working class; JI has given to 15 and JUI-F to 11. The ANP has awarded tickets to seven people from the working class and the PML-F to two. The PML-N has fielded 22, PPP 24 and the PML-Q 14 candidates from working class.

ANI