ISLAMABAD: As unofficial results from the 50 union councils rolled in on Monday night, it seemed that the local government of the federal capital may be divided between the two main rivals, PTI and PML-N.

Results from 15 union councils (UCs) — collated by Dawn and DawnNews — which were received by the filing of this report, showed that PML-N was claiming victory in eight UCs and PTI in five. There are 32 rural and 18 urban UCs in the capital.

The majority of the UCs where PML-N claimed victory were located in the rural parts of the capital, while the PTI asserted its dominance in mostly urban areas.

In UC-28, an independent candidate conceded defeat at the hands of the PTI candidate, describing the result as a landslide in the party’s favour. However, no independent confirmation of this result was available until going to press. In UC-30, the independent candidate, Advocate Naeem Gujjar, claimed victory. Mr Gujjar was one of the PML-N dissenters who had chosen to contest the elections on an independent ticket after disagreements with the party leadership over the role of PML-N MNA from NA-48, Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, in the distribution of tickets. Mr Gujjar was also supported by the ASWJ, which congratulated him on his victory in a statement on Monday night.

PTI chief spokesperson Naeemul Haq told Dawn that as per initial reports, party candidates had performed well in urban UCs. “We are expecting good results,” he said, adding, that, compared to the results of the LG polls in Punjab and Sindh, “we are receiving results against our expectations at the moment”.

He said that candidates from rural areas had complained that returning officers were delaying the results. “We have asked candidates not to leave polling stations until they have the verified results in their hands,” the PTI spokesperson said.

A PML-N office-bearer told Dawn that while the ruling party expected to win a sufficient number of UCs to be able to put its own mayor in place, the infighting over distribution of party tickets that had split the party would be reflected in the results.

Published in Dawn, December 1st, 2015

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