SHANGLA: While Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz provincial president Amir Muqam was defeated by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf candidates in all the four constituencies in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa he contested elections from, his younger brother Ibadullah secured the NA-10 seat with a margin of only 1,400 votes in his native Shangla district.

Mr Muqam was elected from NA-10, Shangla, (earlier NA-31since its creation in 2002) for the first time on the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal ticket in 2008 general elections. He was again elected on the PML-Q ticket in 2013 general elections. However, this time he fielded his brother Ibadullah from this constituency who secured the seat.

The PML-N provincial president contested the July 25 general elections from two NA seats, one in Peshawar and another in Swat. He was also PML-N candidate in two provincial assembly constituencies in Swat. He failed to secure even a single seat of the four.

Interestingly, in all the elections in Shangla since 2002 the Awami National Party candidate, Sadeedur Rehman, remained the runner-up candidate, and in the recent elections he lost the seat with a margin of 1,400 votes.

Mr Ibadullah secured 34,070 votes and bagged the NA-10 seat while the runner-up ANP candidate could get 32,665 votes.

Another PTI candidate former provincial minister Shaukat Ali Yousafzaiclinched an upset victory in PK-23 by defeating PML-N candidate Mohammad Rashad Khan. Mr Rashad was elected twice from this constituency and before him his father late Zahir Shah was elected MPA from the constituency two times. According to results, Mr Yousafzai secured 17,399 votes and Mr Rashad 15,533 votes.

POWER SUSPENSION: Electric supply remained suspended in most areas of Bisham tehsil for the third consecutive day on Friday.

The power suspension was caused by the uprooting of electric poles by workers at the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project’s site in Battagram district.

Local resident Attaullah said the prolonged suspension of power supply had paralysed life in the region. He said the villagers of Bisham faced severe water shortage.

The resident blamed the problem on PML-N leader Amir Muqam’s failure to keep his promise of opening the Shang grid station. Nazim of Butyal village council Shahid Khan told Dawn that electric poles were being relocated under the CPEC project.

GUTTED: The Sweet Homes orphanage was gutted in Alpuri area here on Friday. However, no damage to public life was reported.

The fire was caused by the explosion of a gas cylinder. The police said first the local residents tried to control the fire but when they failed, they called in fire tenders. They said the fire engines controlled the fire after hectic efforts.

Published in Dawn, July 28th, 2018