Outlines of Triangular Contest for PEC Chairman Appear on HorizonThree contestants of Engr. Haroon in National Engineers likely to step back

Backstage exchanges with several engineers stalwarts around the country suggest that the National Engineers—the alliance ruling Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC)—has lately been successful in creating a common ground for selecting a consensus candidate for the forthcoming PEC Elections 2024. And as it appears, Engr. Najeeb Haroon, the incumbent chairman of the council is most likely to be picked up as the top candidate of the alliance.
The constructors of the alliance included the National Engineers formed by Engr. Abdul Qadir Shah, leading National Engineers Welfare Association (NEWA) with his most critical support of Engr. Mukhtiar Shaikh—the man who he {Engr. Abdul Qadir Shah} has developed a love-hate relationship with—Engr. Najeeb Haroon, a breakaway patron-in-chief of the Professional Excellence Group (PEG), now led by Engr. Waseem Nazir, who had almost broken a deal with NEWA before aligning with Engr. Najeeb Haroon and Ashfaq Shah, the leader of the Contractors Association of Pakistan (CAP). In Punjab, the Pakistan Engineers Congress had also aligned it with the National Engineers that won the seat next to chairman after Engr. Imtiaz Shah-led group parted ways on the issue of the distribution of seats in the Governing Body of the council at the eleventh hour.
The alliance remains as same as it was in 2021 at the eve of elections but the power plays. Neither Engr. Najeeb Haroon, the then lone man nor NEWA are the same, both partners have their own strengths and weaknesses, and they have driven the council all along with having an edge of the former over the latter for his incontestable powers as the chairman. Also, both have gained as well as lost ground during the last two-plus years of the council’s rule. But have minimum options, Engr. Haroon has no other better allies than the Shah-Shaikh group and they {NEWA} have no leader of national stature. Both have a good sense to lose if they broke away—the situation which glued them with each other despite many issues developed between them. NEWA which ardently opposed the appointment of an advisor to the chairman in the council has now embraced it to maintain its share in the council no matter at the cost of overlapping of the ToRs of many committees it formed to spearhead important tasks of the council.
But the question is how Engr. Abdul Qadir Shah, who was set in mind to contest at all costs this time round, Engr. Arif Zahid Arif who merged his KP-based organization in NEWA so that his dream came true and Engr. Niaz Akhtar, who must be tired of being number two, will step down?
Engr. Shah’s resolve, as engineers’ circles claim has received an unwelcome response from his own house at Sukkur. His younger brother Syed Khursheed Shah whose supply line has been instrumental for him and his engineer-cum politician son are likely to take responsibility to convince him to step down. Almost everyone in NEWA has started believing the House of Shahs will do it successfully and also who played his part to get it done.
Additionally, almost everyone in NEWA believes Engr. Shah could never be a hot candidate in Punjab, housing the largest number of engineers in Pakistan in the backdrop of political support in the largest province of Pakistan where his brother’s party has miserably failed to revive its support base. In this scenario, the Pakistan Engineering Congress (PEC)’s support will not do any good to Engr. Shah. Instead, the congress would love to retake the post of Senior Vice Chairman of the council under Engr. Haroon.
Then what about resourceful Engr. Zahid Arif? Let’s think about some possible deal. Engr. Zahid Arif can be elected as chairman if the system adopts the turn system which the Act & Bylaws Committee of the council has proposed. Now, he can be lured if the alliance agrees to adopt and confirm the proposed turn system and decides to implement it from PEC Election 2027. Zahid Arif who is the central leader of NEWA has already said he would follow the collective decisions of his organization.
If Engr. Shah and Engr. Arif are addressed smoothly then why should Engr. Akhtar push himself to the loneliness in the province where two giants—Engr. Jawed Saleem Qureshi and Engr. Waseem Nazir, of them former claims to be the largest party of engineers and the latter bagged the highest number of votes–are housed. So it’s not better to wait till Engr. Haroon’s possible second tenure is finished, enjoy the clout in the council and get elected his men outside the ambit of the National Engineers Panel?
Resultantly, the engineers in Pakistan will see a triangular contest in PEC Election 2024 with one difference that Engr. Haroon and Engr. Nazir will find Engr. Jawed Saleem Qureshi instead of Engr. Jabbar Rana.