Mardan, Swabi, Charsadda and Buner voters go for ANP

MARDAN: The Awami National Party (ANP) has won 17 seats of the district council in the local government elections, according to unofficial results of 32 union councils.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) bagged six seats.The Mardan district consists of 75 union councils. The counting process is very slow and results of 43 union councils have not been announced yet.
The ANP had fielded 38 candidates, Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) 35, Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) 25, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) 70, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) 30, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) 19, Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) 3, Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party 2 and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) 1. There were 158 independent candidates for the district council.
Meanwhile, speaking at separate news conferences, candidates of ruling and opposition parties in Mardan district alleged that rigging was carried out in the local government elections. They alleged the election commission and local administration failed to conduct free and fair elections.
The PPP district president Sajjad Khan, PTI lawmaker from PK-25 Obaid Khan Mayar, Mujahid Bacha, PTI candidate for district council seat from Mayar Union Council and other candidates from Maho Dhari, Kandar, Kot Daulatzai, Garhi Ismailzai alleged that per-poll rigging was committed in the LG elections.
They added that at majority of the poling stations staff didn’t come for duty. They alleged that the election was rigged at the polling station for women voters.
PTI lawmaker Obaid Khan Mayar said that the district administration failed to hold free and fair election in the district. He alleged that Himayatullah Mayar of ANP with the help of armed men took away ballot boxes.
Obaid Khan Mayar claimed that PTI candidate was wining the election by a huge margin against Himayatullah Mayar in the Mayar Union Council. He demanded the re-election should be held in the district.
Muhammad Farooq adds from Swabi: The Awami National Party (ANP) has emerged victorious by winning most seats of the district council, according to unofficial results.It was learnt that the ruling coalition in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has tested the worst defeat in the district.
Observers said that the ANP, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) could easily form the district government. The JUI-F and PPP leaders said that they would support the ANP that has won 23 of the 54 district council seats. The results of two seats have been withheld. There are total 56 union councils in the district.
The Awami Jamhoori Ittehad Pakistan (AJIP) suffered ignominious defeat since 2005 when Shahram Khan Tarakai, now provincial health minister, was elected as district nazim.Biland Iqbal, who is Shahram’s uncle, was the party candidate for district council chairman slot but was defeated by Fazal Rahim of the ANP by a margin of over 1,000 votes. Fazal received 2350 votes and Iqbal 1323.
ANP district president Ameer Rehman said that they had won 23 district council seats and the result of Saleem Khan and Maneri union councils would soon be declared. It was learnt that a meeting of the ANP would be held today (Monday) to discuss the strategy for the formation of the district government.
The JUI-F has won from Jehangira, Jalbai, Tordher, Manki, Thand Khui, Zarobi, Gandaf and Kalu Khan union councils. JUI-F district head Maulana Attaul Haq Darvesh said that his party would support the ANP. PPP district president Javed Inqilabi said that his party would support the ANP.
The candidates of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) leaders have also won district and tehsil seats, but they are expected to sit on the opposition benches.The PTI candidates have won a few seats, but it failed to attract the voters. The party former district president Rangaiz Khan, district general secretary Yousaf Ali and Dr Fazal Elahi were among the defeated candidates.
Our correspondent in Charsadda adds: Awami National Party (ANP) has won 14 district council and 13 tehsil council seats, according to unofficial results. The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) managed to win 11 district council and as many tehsil council seats.
There were 49 district council and as many tehsils council seats in the three tehsils of Charsadda district, including Charsadda, Shabqadar and Tangi.According to the unofficial results, Qaumi Want Party remained third by wining nine district council and eight tehsil council seats.
The JUI-F won seven district council and five tehsil council seats and JI bagged three district council and six tehsil council seats.Four independent candidates were also elected to the district council.
The election in Dargai Union Council was halted by the Election Commission till further orders while the results of the four tehsil council seats have not been declared so far. The PML-N and PPP failed to won any district council or tehsil council seat in the district.
Meanwhile, the candidates and activists of the PTI, JUI-F and QWP staged a protest against the alleged rigging in the polling and demanded re-polling in MC-1 union council in Charsadda city.
Carrying banners and placards and canted slogans against the polling staff, district administration and police, the protesters gathered at the Farooq-e-Azam Chowk and staged the protest.Later speaking at a press conference, PTI candidate Jehangir Raza, JUI-F’s Qazi Shahid Ali Khan and QWP candidate Zubairullah alleged that the election staff and district administration carried out rigging in favour of an independent candidate.
They alleged the election staff changed the results and declared a losing candidate Zafar Khan as winner late in the night. They alleged that the presiding officers were bribed by the rival candidate and changed the results in his favour.
Our correspondent in Daggar adds: Awami National Party (ANP) secured eight while Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) got seven and six seats of district council, respectively, according to unofficial results.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) won three while Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) got each one district council seat. ANP won nine while JUI-F and JI got seven and four tehsil council seats, respectively.
PTI got four and PML-N 2 seats.
BATTAGRAM: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) got 10 while JUI-F won six seats of the district council, according to unofficial results.