PESHAWAR – Ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) appeared to be losing ground to rivals in its stronghold province, Khyber Paktunkhwa (KPK), in first local body elections since tribal districts were merged with the province.
PTI has so far bagged 15 seats followed by JUI-F (13), ANP (9), PML-N (2), the PPP and the JI one each, as per unofficial results. On the other hand, independent candidates have won 13 seats.
Violence and attacks were witnessed during the first phase of the elections as five people lost their lives in such incident in 66 tehsils of 17 districts.
The election commission authorities suspended the polling in three tehsils – located in Swabi, Bannu and Darra Adam Khel — due to violent incidents, including mob attack on Technology Minister Shibli Faraz’s vehicle in Kohat.
JUI-F candidates have won three of seven councils in Peshawar while remaining four were equally shared by PTI and ANP, said unofficial results.
ECP has registered over 12 million votes for the poll in the 17 districts of KP that include Buner, Bajaur, Swabi, Peshawar, Nowshera, Kohat, Karak, Dera Ismail Khan, Bannu, Tank, Haripur, Khyber, Mohmand, Mardan, Charsadda, Hangu and Lakki Marwat.
When it comes to erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Areas, the newly formed Tehreek-i-Islahat Pakistan party is in lead in Khyber’s Landi Kotal and Jamrud.
