JUI-F loses in Fazl’s hometown but stands first in KP LG polls

The Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI-F) and the PTI were neck and neck with five seats each on Monday night after re-polling and fresh polls were carried out peacefully on Sunday for mayor/chairman of 20 tehsil councils in 13 districts of Khyber Pakhtunkwa, according to a private TV channel. Re-polling was carried out in 19 tehsils for the seats of mayor/chairman while fresh polling was held for Dera City Council’s mayoral slot, bringing to completion the first phase of local government election in the province. These elections were first held last year on Dec 19 and on Sunday, re-polling was held in certain areas where violence had affected results whereas fresh polling was held for Dera mayor seat because the death of a candidate had resulted in postponement of polling last time. Unofficial results showed that JUI-F and the PTI won five seats each after Sunday’s polling. Independent candidates and the Tehreek-i-Islahat Pakistan (TIP) won two seats each while the Awami National Party (ANP) secured one seat. Results for five seats are still pending. Collectively, out of 66 tehsil councils, this translates into a comfortable lead for JUI-F with 23 seats followed by the PTI bagging 14, and independent candidates winning nine seats. The ANP bagged seven seats, while the PML-N won three. The Jamaat-i-Islami and TIP won two seats each and the PPP managed only one. PTI candidate Umar Amin Gandapur, the brother of federal minister Ali Amin Gandapur, won the contest in JUI-F chief Fazlur Rehman’s hometown, securing 63,758 votes to clinch the seat of Dera Ismail Khan city mayor. JUI-F’s Zubair Ali won the seat for Peshawar mayor after securing 63,610 votes. The PTI candidate, Rizwan Bangash, came in second with 51,523 votes. Zubair Ali was leading during the polling on Dec19 as well, but due to some acts of violence in six polling stations the result was withheld and re-polling was ordered for Sunday. In Peshawar’s Pishtakhara tehsil, JUI-F’s Haroon Sifat won the contest, bagging 11,125 votes. Similarly, JUI-F’s Syed Badshah and Mamoor Khan Wazir won the seat in Bajaur’s Khar tehsil and Bannu’s Bakkakhel tehsil, respectively. In Khyber district’s Bara tehsil, JUI-F’s Multi Mohammad Kufail continued to lead with 537 votes. In Karak’s Takht-i-Nusrati tehsil, PTI’s Azmar Ali Khan was the winning candidate with 20,497 votes in his favour. The PTI was also victorious in Bannu’s Domail tehsil with candidate Israr Khan receiving 9,894 votes. The ruling party was also successful in Bajaur’s Nawagai tehsil after PTI’s Dr Khalil defeated independent candidate Najeebullah Khan, the son of a former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governor, by 305 votes. PTI candidate Kamran Razzak was successful in Jehangira tehsil of Nowshera district, securing 34,010 votes. The ANP was successful in securing the post of tehsil chairman in Buner after their candidate Gulzar Hussain secured 7,820 votes. The ANP was also successful in Jamrud after Syed Nawab secured 9,398 votes. TIP candidate Shah Khalid won in Landi Kotal tehsil of Khyber tribal district after securing 10,231 votes. Independent candidates Shafaqatullah Khan and Shahid Bilal won in Lakki Marwat and Darra Adamkhel, respectively. Meanwhile, the Election Commission, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Monday announced election schedule for second phase of local government elections that would be held on March 31. According to the schedule revised by the Election Commission for the second phase of local body elections in 18 districts of the province, candidates will be able to submit their papers from February 14 to February 18. The list of candidates would be released on February 19 and the papers would be examined from February 21 to 23. Appeals against acceptance or rejection of papers by Returning Officers can be submitted from February 24 to 26. The Election Tribunal would decide on these appeals by March 1 and the revised list of candidates would be released on March 2. The candidates will be able to withdraw their papers till March 3 while Election symbols would be allotted to the candidates on March 4. The polling will be held on March 31 while results would be compiled on April 4.