NA-149 Continues Tradition of Political Power Struggles

APP
Multan: The NA-149 constituency holds historical significance as it has been a battleground for numerous political heavyweights in the past.
The upcoming nationwide general elections on February 8 continue this trend, with Jahangir Khan Tareen, the patron-in-chief of the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP), and former Chief Whip of the National Assembly Malik Muhammad Amir Dogar preparing for a challenging electoral contest.
Rizwan Hance, a newcomer on the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) ticket, brings a wealth of experience in local body-level politics, adding to the competitiveness of this crucial Multan city constituency.
The diverse city areas encompassed by NA-149 include New Multan, Rasheedabad, Eidgah, Khanewal Road, parts of Shah Rukn-e-Alam colony, Dera Adda, Gujjar Khada, Nawan Sheher, MDA Chowk, Pul Bararaan, and sections of the cantonment area.
NA-149 holds sentimental value for Malik Muhammad Amir Dogar, as it was the home area of his late father, Malik Salahuddin Dogar, and uncle, Malik Liaquat Dogar, both of whom secured victories as MNAs in the past. Jahangir Khan Tareen, Dogar’s rival from the IPP, also considers Multan his home and is publicizing an extensive plan for the area’s development and the well-being of its residents as part of the party’s election manifesto.
The constituency has a rich political history, having seen victories by PML-N leader Sheikh Tariq Rasheed and Makhdoom Javed Hashmi. Political analyst and senior journalist Mazhar Javed highlights the historical importance of NA-149, mentioning that it has witnessed the electoral battles of prominent figures, including former Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto. Bhutto’s victory in 1970 against Maulana Hamid Ali Khan and Babu Ferozuddin Ansari’s role as a JUI ticket holder during that time adds to the constituency’s political legacy, then known as NW-79 Multan-1.