KP local govt polls reveal PTI’s unpopularity in the region
Peshawar: According to our local correspondents, PTI seems to be losing ground in the region’s first local government elections being held after the merger of KP with the surrounding tribal districts. Unofficial results show Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) falling behind Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI-F), who is leading on many fronts including the seat for the Peshawar mayor.
The Election Commission of Pakistan has also made the decision to postpone electoral activates after reports of violence have surfaced in different areas of KP. A suicide blast has killed two workers of ANP while there have also been reports of violence in the Kohat region as anti-merger horde attacked minister, Shibli Faraz’s vehicle leaving two people dead.
However, local reports suggest that the arrangements made by the ECP have proved far more effective when compared to the last election which was held in 2015.
PTI is also faces disappointment in Swabi as provincial minister Shahram Tarakai’s uncle Baland Iqbal lost to Ghulam Haqqani, an ANP candidate competing for Razar Tehsil. JUI-F and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) appear to be in leading positions in tehsils Topi and Lahor. Whereas, JUI-F has appeared to take the lead in three different tehsils of Charsadda district.
In Mardan, ANP’s candidate sits in a comfortable lead while competing with JIU-F for the mayor’s seat, while JUI-F has established a lead in the Katlang and Takhbai tehsils.
Defence Minister Pervez Khattak’s hometown Nowshera, saw his son Ishaq Khattak take the leading position while ANP’s candidates have gained advantage in two other tehsils. The Khanpur and Ghazi tehsils in Haripur saw PML-N in the front seat while an independent candidate leads the race for the Haripur Tehsil.
In the Jamrud and Landi Kotal tehsil of Khyber, the newly shaped Tehreek-i-Islahat Pakistan Party is leading while JUI-F has established a lead in tehsil Bara. JUI-F and JI top the race in Khar and Nawagai tehsils of Bajaur.
ECP, reports a total of 2032 candidates which have already been elected on VCNC seats which include 876 women, 285 peasants, 500 youth, 217 general councilors and 154 minority seats.
The electoral turnout witnessed 12.668 million voters of which seven million have been male and five and a half million constitutes of female representation.
