The Tarakais are among the pre-eminent families of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Swabi district. The area’s sub-district Razar, with a population of around 600,000 according to the 2017 census but believed to be in excess of a million, is their stronghold.
Engineer Usman Khan Tarakai has won three consecutive terms to the National Assembly from the area, while his paternal cousin Liaquat Khan Tarakai has been a member of the Senate since 2015. Liaquat’s brother Muhammad Ali Tarakai and son Shahram Tarakai — currently the minister for elementary and secondary education — both won provincial seats in the last two elections, and are members of the provincial cabinet.
Liaquat is considered the most powerful of the Tarakai clan, and was once referred to as the tobacco king of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on account of plantations and factories owned by the family.
The Tarakais first entered the Swabi political landscape in 2005, handing a defeat to the Awami National Party in the district nazim election during General Pervez Musharraf’s rule. They formed their own party, the Awami Jamhoori Ittehad Pakistan, in 2010, which merged with the PTI in 2015.
On Tuesday, Biland Iqbal Tarakai uploaded a video on social media in which he claimed that police raided his residence and hujra (outhouse for male guests) and manhandled him. He claims it was done at his relative Shahram’s behest, while claiming that PTI leaders Pervez Khattak and Asad Qaiser, the former NA speaker, were also involved.
Biland is Usman Khan Tarakai’s brother, which makes him Liaquat’s cousin and Shahram’s uncle.
In the video, Biland says that he was attacked and his clothes torn while shots were also fired. “It was a personal issue, pertaining to our family and clan, but Asad Qaiser and Pervez Khattak escalated it,” he says claiming police from Swabi and neighbouring Mardan were involved in the raid.
“We were heading out to join the protest march in support of Imran Khan, when the raid took place. My brother, who is an MNA, was also there,” he continues, claiming that he was manhandled in front of his relatives and clan members.
Biland claimed that the PTI leadership, including Shahram Tarakai, Khattak and Qaiser, was trying to get a criminal case registered against him and threatening him and his family.
“These people claim to be Imran Khan loyalists but are opportunists in reality.”
This isn’t the first time Biland and Shahram have had a public spat.
Last month, Shahram had to inaugurate a college in Swabi with another minister. Biland, his brother, the MNA Usman Tarakai, and others also showed up to inaugurate the building.
Police had to intervene to stop Biland and his supporters, with Biland rendered unconscious in the melee. Some reports stated that Biland was manhandled by the police, with the victim later claiming it was done at Shahram’s behest.
Following the public spat, Khattak, the party’s KP president, suspended Biland’s basic membership, and issued a show-cause notice to him for violating the party discipline.
Meanwhile, MNA Usman Tarakai, in a conversation with Aaj Digital, claimed that he was responsible for most of the ‘running around’ for the construction of the college but Shahram took all the credit which rankled with him. “They didn’t even have my name on the plaque at the school.”
On the raid at his brother’s residence, he repeated his brother’s claim, while adding that the involvement of police from neighbouring Mardan — from where Asad Qaiser was elected to NA — was proof of the involvement of former NA speaker.
He said that the police tried to arrest Biland, which resulted in a scuffle and aerial firing - after which the police decided it was better to leave without taking him in custody.
Swabi police told Aaj Digital that the police intervention at Biland’s residence was to stop his faction from marching to the Swabi protest venue as it would likely have resulted in a clash with supporters of Shahram. The police said that caravans from different areas, including one led by Pervez Khattak and another by Asad Qaiser, were also headed towards the Swabi protest venue.
“We just wanted to avoid a situation that would have escalated out of control,” a police spokesperson said. He said no complaint had been filed so far and that the situation had been defused.
Aaj Digital contacted the officers involved in the raid at Biland’s residence but they refused to respond to queries.
Another incident a few months earlier had hinted at the cracks within the Tarakai clan. It was over the position of mayor in Razar tehsil in the Local Government elections that were held in March.
Those who know the family and the area say Shahram wanted his brother to stand for the mayorship of Razar while Usman wanted his brother Biland. In the end, Biland got the nod. However, Shahram discreetly withdrew his support for Biland which resulted in a loss to the ANP candidate.
The more divisive issue, it seems, is the issuance of tickets for the next general election.
Usman wants the MNA ticket for himself or his brother Biland while Shahram wants it for himself. At the same time, Shahram wants his uncle Muhammad Ali Tarakai and brother Faisal Tarakai to get MPA tickets.
Aaj Digital was unable to get through to Shahram Taraki but spoke to his assistant, Ramazan, who denied Biland’s claim about the raid being a pressure tactic.
“It was a law and order situation,” he said without elaborating. When pressed, he made some outlandish accusations against Biland ranging from selling contrabands to involvement in ‘extra-marital sex’.
He did say that Shahram Tarakai had publicly disowned Biland, although the family has no issues with his brother, the MNA Usman Tarakai.
Another person who works closely with the Tarakai family but did not want to be named said that there could be some truth to the fallout being over the issue of elections and ticket.
They said that Liaquat Khan Tarakai had financed Usman’s election campaigns in the past. “Now the finances have been handed over to the sons, who are unwilling to bankroll the campaign.”
There was another claim, unverified, that Biland had been on the payroll of the Tarakais. “Liaquat was paying Biland Rs200,000/month along with providing a vehicle, gunman and drive, which Shahram decided to discontinue. He wants the money and the perks back.”
Aaj Digital tried to contact Biland Iqbal to get his response but his number was switched off.
