PESHAWAR: The ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has bagged the highest count of votes during the first phase of local government (LG) polls in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).
Regardless of facing a defeat in KP LG polls to grab the majority of seats, PTI candidates secured the highest count of votes as compared to other political parties across the province.
According to the statistics shared by KP minister Kamran Bangash on Twitter, the ruling political party secured 848,122 votes followed by 835,384 votes by Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) in 47 tehsils.
Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) is in the third position in terms of vote count with 276,636, Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) 270,165, Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) 213,310 and Awami National Party (ANP) 523,096.
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The statistics showed PTI’s lead of 12,738 votes in terms of the highest number of votes as compared to Maulana Fazlur Rehman-led JUI-F.
Kamran Bangash wrote, “PTI candidates secured more votes than all other political parties across the country, however, serious irregularities were made in polling stations on the election day that are being investigated.” He thanked PTI supporters and voters for showing confidence.
پاکستان تحریک انصاف کے امیدواروں نے پورے صوبہ میں باقی تمام جماعتوں سے زیادہ ووٹ لئے تاہم الیکشن ڈے پر پولنگ سٹیشنز پر سنگین بے ضابطگیاں ہوئیں جس کی تحقیقات ہورہی ہیں۔PTIکےسپورٹرز اور ووٹرز کاتہہ دل سے شکریہ اداکرتے ہیں۔ pic.twitter.com/Og1R9piIZ9
— Kamran Bangash 🇵🇰 (@kamrankbangash) December 22, 2021
Yesterday, Prime Minister Imran Khan had said that the LG system has been devolved into its modern shape just like it exists in successful democracies. He added that the direct election of tehsil nazims will improve governance and create future leaders.
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He was of the view that PTI has introduced an empowered LG system for the first time in the country’s 74-year history.
پاکستان تحریک انصاف کے امیدواروں نے پورے صوبہ میں باقی تمام جماعتوں سے زیادہ ووٹ لئے تاہم الیکشن ڈے پر پولنگ سٹیشنز پر سنگین بے ضابطگیاں ہوئیں جس کی تحقیقات ہورہی ہیں۔PTIکےسپورٹرز اور ووٹرز کاتہہ دل سے شکریہ اداکرتے ہیں۔ pic.twitter.com/Og1R9piIZ9
— Kamran Bangash 🇵🇰 (@kamrankbangash) December 22, 2021
It may be noted here that PTI 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.
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.”
The next phase of KP LG polls will be held in 18 districts on January 19, 2022.