[PT Election Cell] Candidate Profile – Kalb-e-Ali

[Mr Kalb – e – Ali is contesting elections from LA – 5, Nagar -1, as an independent candidate. He is a seasoned politician, known for his affiliation with Pakistan Peoples Party. His profile sketch written by Riaz Sumairi is being presented for information of the readers. Editor_.]

Mr. Kalbe Ali has spent a lifetime in the game of what they call ‘the art of possibilities’. Twice elected to Gilgit’s District Council, he once acted as its Chairman. His achievement as chairman are well known. Breaking the line of incompetent chairmen he ushered in a new era of financial empowerment of the council.

Mr. Ali belongs to the village Sumayar which has traditionally remained one of the two major power centers of the constituency. He is the most senior politician of the village after the demise of Mr. Qurban Ali – a senior PPP leader and a former federal advisor to the then Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. He has been politically affiliated with PPP. The party ticket, however, was not granted to him. He has been disappointed by the party’s decision to award the party ticket to a person who has no services for the party. He is contesting the November 12 elections as an independent candidate. Currently he is reported to enjoy massive support in the constituency.

Mr. Ali received his early education from a local teacher and went to Gilgit town where he did his matriculation and went on to receive a bachelor’s degree from the University of Karachi. He has served government in various capacities before starting his political career. He taught at a government school for quite a while later he moved to PWD, LBRD and a bank.

Mr. Kalbe Ali has an ambitious manifesto. While talking to this writer on phone he said that he has worked out a manifesto with the aim of ensuring a holistic development of the area. He very emphatically put to the writer that, though, he has a broad and all embracing vision for the region but the areas of his major focus would remain education and healthcare. He maintains that the people of Nagar area have lagged behind in various fields of life. He cites many causes for this lack of progress. The traditional dominance of elements that were conservative and skeptical to any social change has, in his opinion, hindered the development of the area. He outlines his manifesto as follows:

1. Promoting excellence in education through infrastructure and professional development.

2. Establishing a scholarship fund to deserving students, career counseling and guidance.

3. Establishment of a hospital and proliferation of maternity homes in these far flung areas.
4. Establishment of Mineral development center.
5. Empowerment of women.