Pakistan: PTI Wins Big In K-P Local Polls
Islamabad, April 2: The ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) got a shot in the arm as it won the second phase of local government elections in the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, defeating the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), which had registered huge gains in the first phase of voting over three months ago, Express Tribune reported on Saturday.
On Thursday 65 tehsils in 18 districts went to the polls, in which the PTI gained an early lead which transformed into an electoral victory. Polling also took place in 1,830 union councils during the second phase.
Till late Friday, the results from 48 tehsil councils were released, out of which PTI candidates won in 19, even though the party claimed victory in 32. In the second place the JUI-F was trailing with victory in 8 tehsil councils. They are followed by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) with 5 wins; Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), 3; Awami National Party (ANP), Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) and independents 2 each, and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), the Rah-e-Haq Party (RHP) and Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM) one each. According to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), the PTI won in Barikot, Swat district; Bezai, Batkhela and Dargai, Malakand; Khal, Balambat and Adizai, Lower Dir; Larjam in Upper Dir; Puran and Bisham, Shangla; Mastuj, Chitral; Oghi, Mansehra and Tanawal and Abbottabad, Abbottabad. The JUI-F won in Alai, Batgram, Timergarha, Lower Dir; Torghar; Upper Orakzai; Cheskar, Shangla; Bankat, Lower Kohistan; Kandian, Upper Kohistan and North Waziristan. Councils in Lora, Abbottabad; Besham and Cheskar, Shangla; Kalkot, Upper Dir and Mansehra went to the PML-N. Taking a dig at the opposition State Minister for Information Farrukh Habib said that the PTI under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan swept the local government elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, thereby showing their no-confidence in their proposed no trust move.
