Peshawar, Pakistan: The unofficial results of Local Bodies’ elections held in 17 districts of KPK indicates that Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) and Pakistan People’s Party (Parliamentarians) can sweep KPK in any forthcoming elections if both would go for seat adjustments or for placing joint candidates. PPP and JUIF had been in pre and post-election alliances in past and joining hands for them would not be difficult.
“If both join hands, they can bury Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) deep into the ground though PTI had been in power in the province for the last eight years and all-state machinery behind their back,” comment Sawab Gull, a student of Peshawar University when asked to comment over unofficial results of KPK LB Polls. However, said nothing could be said unless official results would be announced because according to him, official results were far different than unofficial results in the 2018 general elections.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leadership is now blaming the price hike for the setback it suffered in elections and believes that the price hike would be controlled before the 2023 General elections and PTI would be again in the lead position.
Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) has emerged as victorious, with a cruising comeback on the provincial political scene. According to unofficial results, JUI (F) bagged the seat of Peshawar mayor with a big margin as JUI-F’s Zubair Ali won the post of Peshawar mayor after securing 62,388 while PTI’s Rizwan Bangash received 50,669 votes.
The unofficial results of the 66 tehsil seats show a thin margin of PTI lead over the JUI-F. The PTI is ahead on 15 seats while the JUI-F trails behind with 13 seats. So far, 13 seats have been won by independent candidates. It is understood that the majority of independent candidates would join PTI soon as a tradition of KPK politics that independents go where they are asked by state machinery to go because PTI has governments in provincial as well as in federal government.
Awami National Party also recovered its reputation and secured eight seats according to unofficial results. Jamaat-e-Islami got one and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and Tehreek-e-Islahat Pakistan each have secured two, while Pakistan People’s Party has secured one seat for the Tehsil chairmanship.
The ongoing local government elections were held for the first time in the erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Areas. A total of 9,223 polling stations and 28,892 polling booths were set up out of which 4,188 polling stations were declared sensitive and 2,507 most sensitive. CCTV cameras were installed on sensitive and most sensitive polling stations and display of arms or carrying of weapons and electronic devices including mobile phones inside polling stations would not be allowed.
Over 12.668 million registered voters including 7,015,767 male and 5,653,095 female cast their votes of 37,752 candidates contesting for different seats in Peshawar, Nowshera, Charsadda, Khyber, Mohmand, Mardan, Swabi, Kohat, Karak, Hangu, Bannu, Lakki Marwat, DI Khan, Tank, Haripur, Buner and Bajaur districts. About 689 candidates were in the run for 689 tehsils, 19,285 for general seats of village and neighborhood councils, 3,870 for women, 7,428 for farmers and labor, 6,011 for youth, and 293 for minorities.
