LAKKI MARWAT: Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl has emerged as the largest party in the recently held local government elections as it secured 16 general seats of district council.

Official results so far received from 29 of the total 33 wards of the district council reveal that JUI-F bagged 16 seats followed by Pakistan People Party with six and ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf five seats while two independent candidates also made their way to the district council in the May 30 elections.

The returning officers concerned have withheld the results in four wards, including Eesakkhel, Tajazai, Abakhel and Naurang where incidents of snatching ballot boxes, burning of ballot papers and beating of polling staff occurred.

In Lakki Marwat tehsil council, according to the results of 21 of 24 wards, the JUI-F is on top with 11 general seats, PTI four and PPP three seats and three independents.

Maulana Fazalur Rehman-led JUI also emerged as the single largest party in Naurang tehsil council as it secured five of nine general seats, followed by Jamaat-i-Islami and PTI and PPP with one seat each.

However, the six-party alliance, headed by Saifullah brothers, has also intensified efforts to get the slots of district and tehsil nazims in Lakki Marwat. In a recent meeting, the leaders of the alliance agreed to field a consensus candidate from PPP for the slot of district nazim.

PPP district councillor from Lakki city-I ward Ashfaq Ahmad Meenakhel is said to be the favourite candidate of the alliance for the office of district nazim. A leader of the alliance said that under the agreement the post of tehsil nazim in Lakki would go to PTI while JI would be supported to form government of Naurang tehsil.

According to a source, a meeting presided over by former MNA Humayun Saifullah Khan also formed a committee to persuade independent councillors to join them for formation of the local governments. The source claimed that several independent councillors had assured their support to Mr Khan to form the government in the district.

On the other side, the district leadership of JUI-F has conducted secret balloting to choose candidates for the posts of district and tehsil nazims. 

“In the balloting to nominate a candidate for the district nazim seat, Maulana Samiullah Mujahid grabbed 33 votes, followed by Maulana Asghar Ali and Ameer Nawaz Khan with seven and three votes respectively,” said a local JUI-F leader requesting not to be named. 

He said that Hidayatullah Khan secured 33 votes for Lakki tehsil nazim seat, followed by Hafiz Asif Saleem and Sarfraz Meenakhel who got 12 and five votes, respectively. He said that councillor-elect from Nar Abu Samand ward Maulana Ezazullah was named unopposed for the office of Naurang tehsil.

Several newly-elected councillors of JUI-F are eyeing the seat of district nazim. Noted among them are MPA Munawar Khan’s brother and councillor from Ahmadkhel Ameer Nawaz Khan, former MNA Maulana Amanullah’s son and councilor from Tajori Maulana Asghar Ali, councillor from Kot Kashmir Maulana Mujahid and former judge Salahuddin Khan.

Published in Dawn, June 13th, 2015

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