February 19, 2008	Tuesday	Safar 11, 1429

PESHAWAR, Feb 18: Candidates backed by the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal suffered setbacks both in the NWFP and in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata), according to unofficial results.

The turnout was below 20 per cent across the tribal region.

In NA-36, Mohmand tribal region independent candidate Bilal Rehman was declared winner unofficially.

In NA-43 Bajaur, independent candidate Shaukatullah Khan defeated Awami National Party-backed candidate Sheikh Jehanzada. Mr Khan bagged 7,428 votes while his rival secured 3,079 votes.

Akhunzada Muhammad Chattan of the Pakistan People’s Party defeated PML-Q’s Shabbuddin Khan on the NA-44 seat in Bajaur. Mr Chattan obtained 6,257 votes, according to the unofficial results.

In NA-38 in Lower Kurram, former MNA Dr Muneer Khan Orakzai was declared successful. He defeated independent candidate Maulana Akhunzada Obaidullah Sharif.

Malik Kamran, a dissident of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-F was declared winner in NA-40 in North Waziristan.

JUI-F nominee Maulvi Nek Zaman got fourth position.

In NA-41 in South Waziristan, Pakistan Muslim League-N backed Mohammad Ghalib was leading with 7,203 votes at midnight followed by former MNA and JUI-F candidate Maulana Abdul Malik with 6,606 votes. Till the filing of this report, counting was going on in the remaining constituencies.

In Orakzai region, Syed Jawad Hussain, an independent candidate, was leading.