PESHAWAR: Unofficial results of the first-ever local government elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa following the 2018 merger of tribal districts showed the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) emerging as the single largest party but it also appeared to be losing ground to opposition including Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) and Awami National Party (ANP) who are leading on many seats, including the prized office of Peshawar mayor.
With the initial results in the 63 tehsil councils being in early stages as of Monday afternoon, the ruling is leading on 15 seats followed by JUI-F 13, ANP 9, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) 2, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the Jamaat-i-Islami one each.
This totalled up to 26 seats for the opposition parties while independent candidates are leading on 13 seats.
In the first phase, 17 districts — Peshawar, Nowshera, Charsadda, Khyber, Mohmand, Mardan, Swabi, Kohat, Karak, Hangu, Bannu, Lakki Marwat, Dera Ismail Khan, Tank, Haripur, Buner and Bajaur — went into the elections which were held after a period of six years and marked by scattered incidents of violence.
Over 12.6 million registered voters — 7 million male and 5 million female voters — decided the fate of 37,752 candidates contesting for various seats.
The voting was postponed in three tehsils — located in Swabi, Bannu and Darra Adam Khel — due to disturbances, including an explosion in Bajaur, purported abduction of polling staff in Bannu, a clash in Karak and a mob attack on the car of Minister for Science and Technology Shibli Faraz in Kohat.
Over 2,000 contestants have been elected unopposed in the elections. 217 candidates on general seats, 876 on women and 285 on farmers seats were elected unopposed.
An additional 500 youth and 154 minority candidates were also declared successful.
Stringent security arrangements were adopted. 77,000 policemen and law-enforcement personnel were deployed outside polling stations and booths for the security of voters.
CCTV cameras were installed at sensitive locations and it was prohibited to carry weapons or electronic devices in all polling stations.
On other seats, candidates of the hardline JUI-F party were ahead of their rivals in ruling and opposition parties, as the PTI faced setbacks in parts of the neighbourhoods where the ANP and JI seemed to have regained ground they lost to the ruling party in the 2013 and 2018 general elections.
In Peshawar, JUI-F candidates were leading in three of the seven councils, whereas the PTI and the ANP were ahead in two tehsils each.
In Swabi, Baland Iqbal, a relative of provincial minister Shahram Tarakai, lost to ANP candidate Ghulam Haqqani in Razar Tehsil.
JUI-F and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz were leading in Tehsil Topi and Lahor whereas the results of Swabi tehsil were delayed for undisclosed reasons.
The JUI-F was also leading in two of the three tehsils of the Charsadda district. In Mardan, ANP’s candidate was far ahead of his rivals for the mayor seat, while JUI-F was leading in Katlang and Takhbai tehsils.
In Nowshera, the native town of Defence Minister Pervez Khattak, his son Ishaq Khattak, was leading in one tehsil and ANP’s candidates were ahead in two other tehsils.
In Haripur, PML-N candidates were ahead of their rivals in Khanpur and Ghazi tehsils whereas an independent candidate was leading in Haripur tehsil.
In Bannu, two tehsils were dominated by the PTI whereas JUI-F and an independent candidate were leading in each of the other two tehsil councils.
In Dera Ismail Khan, PTI, JI, JUI-F and PPP candidates were leading one seat each in four tehsils, while an independent was ahead on the fifth tehsil.
In Lakki Marwat, independent candidates were leading in two tehsils whereas the JI candidate was ahead in the third tehsil.
As many as 19,285 people contested for general seats of the village, and neighbourhood councils, 3,870 for women, 7,428 for farmers and labour, 6,011 for youth and 293 for minorities.
676 candidates contested for 65 seats of the city mayor and tehsil chairperson. Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) is the only party that fielded candidates for all 65 seats.
JUI-F fielded 59 candidates, ANP was in the third spot with 55, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) 51, Jamaat-i-Islami 47, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) 43, Qaumi Wattan Party (QWP) 14 and 305 independents are hoping to secure victory.
Every voter was allowed to cast six votes, the colour of the ballot paper was different for different seats, the white ballot paper was used for city mayor/tehsil chairman. Silver colour had been allotted for the general seat of the neighbourhood/village council.
Local government elections in 35 districts were scheduled to be held in two phases.
