PESHAWAR: With the defeat of Awami National Party’s Ghulam Ahmad Bilour being the major upset in NA-1, the Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) stunned everyone by sweeping all the National Assembly seats from Peshawar and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Assembly.
PTI’s Nasir Khan staged the second major upset in NA-9 against Ameer Haider Hoti, former chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa who was being considered the strongest of the candidates of ANP due to his record development in his native Mardan. However, he won on provincial assembly seat.
According to unofficial result, Imran Khan received 66,465 votes against Ghulam Ahmad Bilour, a senior ANP leader and former federal minister for Railways. Bilour secured 19,324 votes.
Bilour conceded his defeat and congratulated Imran Khan, who has been in hospital since May 7 after he fell off a lift during an election rally in Lahore. Bilour could not run his election campaign due to threat of attacks. Nevertheless, Imran Khan also did not canvass in Peshawar and his activists campaigned for him.
The PTI surprised every one by winning all four National Assembly seats from Peshawar. Engineer Hamidul Haq won NA-2, Sajid Nawaz NA-3 and Gulzar Khan NA-4. Except Imran Khan, all other PTI candidates were unfamiliar faces and many doubted that they would clinch victory. The jubilant PTI workers took to streets in Peshawar to celebrate the sweeping victory. They chanted slogans in favour of the party and caused traffic jam. On provincial assembly seats, PTI’s Ziaullah won PK-1 from Peshawar. Results on other provincial assembly were not announced till the filing of this report.
In Nowshera, the PTI routed opponents on the two National Assembly seats. Central general secretary of the party, Pervez Khattak won NA-5 and Siraj Muhammad Khan NA-6.
In another major upset, PTI’s Salimur Rahman defeated PML-N’s vice-president and political heavyweight Amir Muqam on NA-30 Swat-II. Amir Muqam also lost on PK-80 in Swat and thus did not win a single seat. Former provincial minister and ANP leader Wajid Ali Khan also lost from this seat.
PTI’s young Murad Saeed obtained victory on NA-29 Swat-1. Four of the seven provincial assembly seats in Swat were also secured by PTI. Fazl Hakeem succeeded in PK-80, Amjad Ali in PK-82, Muhibullah Khan in PK-83 and Mahmood Khan in PK-84.
PTI’s Junaid Akbar stunned Jamaat-e-Islami’s Bakhtiar Maani in NA-35 Malakand Agency. PML-N’s Sardar Mehtab Abbasi also lost to Tehreek-e-Insaf’s Dr Muhammad Azhar Khan Jadoon in NA-17 Abbottabad, dealing a blow to the PML-N, a party that is emerging to be the majority party in the country. Sheryar Afridi of the Imran Khan’s party secured NA-14 in Kohat.
In Buner and Chitral, PTI’s candidates were leading on National Assembly seats.Results on most of the KP Assembly seats were still awaited till the filing of this report. However, the PTI is expected to secure good number of seats in the provincial assembly also.
In PK-95, Lower Dir, JI’s central deputy head Sirajul Haq won against his arch-rival Hidayatullah Khan of the ANP.
PML-N’s Amir Muqam lost election on two seats, one National and one provincial assembly seats in Swat but his younger brother Dr Ibadullah was stated to be ahead in neighbouring Shangla district.
Qaumi Watan Party’s Bakht Baidar won from PK-97 Lower Dir. Other Lower Dir provincial assembly seats were won by JI’s Muzaffar Syed, Saeed Gul and Sirajul Haq. JI’s Malik Behram who survived a recent bomb attack but lost his son emerged victories from a seat in Upper Dir.
Like the ANP in 2008, the PTI swept the polls in Swat district. It was heading for victory from both NA seats and five out of seven provincial assembly seats.
In PK-12, Nowshera, PTI’s Mian Khaleeq ur Rehman Khattak defeated PML-N’s Ashfaq; PK-13, Nowshera, PTI’s Pervez Khan Khattak won; PK-14, Nowshera, PTI’s Mian Jamshed won; PK-15, Nowshera, Muhammad Idrees of PTI won.
