Daultana, Khichi, and Others Shape Vehari’s Political Scene

APP
Vehari: In Vehari, the prevalence of hereditary politics is conspicuous, as families like Daultana, Khichi, Khakwani, Minhis, Bhabha, Syed, Arain, and Jatt continue to wield significant sway.
In the district, much like other districts in South Punjab, the political landscape is dominated by influential families, leaving little room for new entrants in the upcoming 2024 elections.
According to local political analysts Mehr Ejaz Ahmed, Nadeem Mushtaq, and Asghar Comrade, nearly 90 percent of the strong candidates in the ongoing elections belong to these influential families.
The perpetuation of political power is noticeable as familiar names re-emerge in the electoral arena. Chaudhry Nazir Ahmed Arain, the brother of former MNA Chaudhry Faqir Ahmed Arain, is striving to regain his position in Vehari 1 (NA 156) Burewala. Dr Ayesha, the daughter of former MNA Nazir Jutt, is also contesting from the same constituency.
Additionally, Dr Arifa Nazir Jatt, her younger sister, is a candidate for the provincial assembly seat PP 229. Adding complexity to the dynastic narrative, former MPA Chaudhry Khalid Mehmood Chauhan, the son of former MNA Chaudhry Qurban Ali Chauhan, is running as an independent candidate.
In NA-157 (Vehari-II), ex-MNA Syed Sajid Mehdi Saleem, brother to Syed Shahid Mehdi Naseem Shah, is contesting on the PML N ticket. Meanwhile, Syed Salman Mehdi Shah, the nephew of Syed Sajid Mehdi Shah, is an independent candidate for a provincial assembly seat from the Daultana family.
The political spectrum also features independent candidates like Bilal Akbar Ali Bhatti, son of the late former MNA Akbar Ali Bhatti. Nawab Shahr Yar Khan Khakwani, on the PPP ticket, is in a political battle for a provincial assembly seat, closely related to Nawab Ishaaq Khan Khakwani.
The influence of hereditary politics extends to NA-158 (Vehari-III), where Tehmina Daultana, Tahir Iqbal Chaudhary, and Aftab Khan Khickhi are competing for electoral success. Mian Saqib Khursheed, the son of Mian Khursheed from the Arain family, is a potential candidate in PP 233.
In NA-159 (Vehari-IV), family legacies continue, with former Speaker Punjab Assembly Saeed Ahmad Khan Manhis securing the PML N ticket, accompanied by his son Asif Saeed Manhis as a provincial constituency candidate (PP 235).
The Khachi family is also prominently featured, with Aurangzeb Khichi, the son of former MNA Dilawar Khan Khachi, participating in the political field for the 2024 elections. Jahanzeb Khan Khichi, a former provincial minister, is also running as an independent candidate in PP 236. In keeping with the tradition of hereditary politics, Mian Khaliq Nawaz, brother of former MPA Mian Majid Nawaz Arain, is a potential candidate in the same provincial constituency (PP 236).
The prevalence of family and hereditary politics persists, exemplified by Mehmood Hayat Tochi Khan (Pathan Community), the son of former MNA Irshad Ahmad Khan, who is contesting to regain his ancestral seat in NA-159, as concluded by the analysts.