Several families eliminated from assemblies

Just as the recent elections brought some surprise results, it also created a number of unusual 'firsts' for several of the better-known 'political' families.

Many of these are feudal families with strong influence in their local areas. Some have, for the first time, found themselves without a single representative in parliament, despite fielding two or more candidates.

A newspaper report lists some of these families.

The family of Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, a political force since before partition in the NWFP, has failed to send even one member to any assembly.

Awami National Party's (ANP) Rahbar (supreme leader) Abdul Wali Khan's two sons Asfandyar and Sangeen Wali contested from the Charsadda seats of the National and NWFP Assemblies which they lost by a wide margin.

Asfandyar was leading the ANP. Begum Nasim Wali Khan did not contest.

Similarly, the Mians of Lahore fielded two brothers – Mian Mohammed Azhar and Mian Mohammed Asharf – for National Assembly seats. Both were defeated by PML-N candidates.

Surprisingly for the first time in 40 years no member of the Rana Phool family of Bhaipheru has succeeded in reaching any assembly. The Rana family fielded three members – Rana Ishaq, Rana Hayat and Rana Iqbal – from PML-N platform but lost all the seats to their rival PML-QA candidates.

Rana Phool's successors lost one provincial seat to Rana Sarfraz and two National Assembly seats to the Nakais of Pattoki. Both the Nakai and Rana families have a long tradition of electoral rivalry with the Phool family.

The head of the Cheemas of Sargodha, Chaudhry Anwar Ali Cheema, and his son Amir Sultan Cheema once again won their National and Provincial seats respectively.

The Leghari Tumandars of DG Khan won four seats from DG Khan by sending Sardar Farooq, his son Awais and his cousin Jafar to the assemblies. Khosas of DG Khan were ousted by the Legharis from the electoral scene.

Similarly, the Legharis also ousted the Mazaris of Rajanpur with the cooperation of the Dreshaks of Rajanpur. The Pirachas of Sargodha won the National Assembly seat from the PML-QA platform but lost one provincial seat to the PML-N.

PML-QA's Humayun Akhtar and his brother Haroon Akhtar won their National and provincial assembly seats respectively.

The Chaudhrys of Gujrat have sent three members of the family, including Ch Shujaat Hussain, Ch Wajahat Hussain and Ch Pervez Elahi, to the National and Provincial Assemblies. PML-QA's Azam Cheema and his brother Nasir Cheema were contesting from Gujranwala. They lost both seats.

Mians of Sialkot whose representative, Naeem Javed, is district Nazim, contested for one national and one provincial seat from the platform of the MMA and the PML-QA respectively. They lost both the seats.

Col. Sikandar of the Ghumans of Sialkot lost his national seat from PPPP platform but his nephew Umar Ahmed won a national seat for the PML-QA.

The Bhattis of Hafizabad won all three seats they contested from the PMl-QA's platform. The family head, Mehdi Hasan Bhatti, and his brother Liaquat Bhatti were elected to the National Assembly while his son Shaukat Ali to the Punjab Assembly.

Two brothers, Amjad Warraich and Bilal of Gojra were elected to the National And Provincial Assemblies respectively.

Head of Fatianas of Kamalia, Riaz Fatiana reached the National Assembly while his wife was elected to the Punjab Assembly.

The Khars of Muzaffargarh lost most seats they contested, and as such joined a number of other prominent political families in isolation from the national sphere.