PTI regains ground after KP LG by-polls
The ruling PTI has regained ground after KP LG by-polls following the re-polling held in polling stations of 13 districts.
PESHAWAR: The ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has regained ground after Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) local government (LG) by-polls following the re-polling held in hundreds of polling stations in 13 districts.
The ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate Umar Amin Gandpur won the contest for the Dera Ismail Khan tehsil mayor slot on Sunday as he defeated JUIF candidate Kafil Nizami in the home constituency of party chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman.
PTI candidate Umar Amin Gandapur, who had been disqualified by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on February 7, won mayorship elections with a clear majority, defeating Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) candidate Kafeel Nizami in Dera Ismail Khan.
According to unconfirmed and unofficial reports of 296 polling stations in Dera Ismail Khan, PTI candidate Umar Amin Gandapur secured 63,753 votes followed by JUI-F candidate Kafeel Nizami with 38,891 votes, whereas, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) candidate Faisal Karim Kundi got 32,788 votes.
شکریہ ڈیرہ اسماعیل خان! ڈیرہ پاکستان تحریک انصاف کا! #ہوگئی_انصاف_کی_جیت pic.twitter.com/pIVnPcoIEg
— PTI (@PTIofficial) February 13, 2022
PTI bags highest count of votes during first phase of KP LG polls
In the re-polling for the first phase of KP LG polls, PTI won six seats, JUI-F 4 seats while Jamaat-e-Islami and Awami National Party (ANP) have won one seat each.
The mayoral polls of Peshawar was won by the JUI-F candidate Zubair Ali, whereas, the ruling PTI secured victory in Nowshehra, Jahangera, Banda Daud Shah, Domail and Dera Ismail Khan Tehsil Council elections.
During the by-poll, the re-polling was held at 568 polling stations in 13 districts of KP for different city and neighbourhood seats after the election was postponed due to violence or other reasons in December last year. The districts include Peshawar, Charsadda, Nowshera, Mardan, Kohat, Bannu, Laki Marwat, Dera Ismail Khan, Buner, Bajaur, Karak, Khyber and Mohmand.
After the KP LG by-poll results, Federal Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said on Sunday that Dera Ismail Khan has given a reply to Maulana Fazlur Rehman, the head of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) and JUI-F supremo. He added that Maulana Fazlur Rehman should reach his home instead of staying in Lahore.
ڈیرہ اسماعیل خان نے مولانا کو جواب دے دیا، لاہور چھوڑیں گھر پہنچیں مولانا۔۔۔
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) February 13, 2022
Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Political Communication Dr Shahbaz Gill said that Fazlur Rehman has faced a humiliating defeat in his home ground which showed the lack of confidence of the people on him.
فضل الرحمن کو اپنے گھر کی تحصیل سے عبرتناک شکست۔ ان کے سے گھر سے ان پر عدم اعتماد
— Dr. Shahbaz GiLL (@SHABAZGIL) February 13, 2022
Scenario in KP LG polls’ first phase
It may be noted here that PTI had faced a clear defeat in KP LG polls in 62 tehsil councils of 17 districts as its political rival Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) topped the resulting chart with 22 seats followed by PTI’s 14 seats.
Moreover, 12 independent candidates were elected in other tehsils, whereas, Awami National Party (ANP) managed to win top positions in six tehsils. Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) claimed to win on four seats and Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) clinched victory on two seats. Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Tehreek Islah-e-Pakistan had gotten victory on one seat each.
Can Imran Khan prove PTI ministers’ allegations, survey wrong after KP LG polls?
PM Imran Khan had admitted that PTI made mistakes in the first phase of KP LG polls and paid the price.
He had said, “Wrong candidate selection was a major cause. From now on I will personally be overseeing PTI’s LG election strategy in 2nd phase of KP LG elections & LG elections across Pak. InshaAllah PTI will come out stronger.”
Second phase of KP LG polls
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had announced to hold the second phase of LG polls in 18 districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province on March 31 after revising the schedule.
The election commission had also issued a code of conduct to ensure the upcoming polls in a just and fair environment.
The upcoming polls will be organised for the positions of mayor and chairman of tehsil and city councils and different categories of members in the village and neighbourhood councils 18 districts.
The districts include Abbottabad, Mansehra, Battagram, Torghar, Upper and Lower Kohistan, Kolai-Palas, Swat, Malakand, Shangla, Lower and Upper Dir, Upper and Lower Chitral, Kurram, Orakzai, and North and South Waziristan districts.
