MARDAN: Waqar Ahmad Khan of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf was elected officiating district nazim, Mardan, amid a walkout by opposition members of the district council here on Thursday.

Waqar Ahmad obtained 57 votes against Mohammad Shafiq of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl in the district council meeting presided over by convener Asad Ali.

On this occasion, the convener announced the victory of Waqar Ahmad, but he did not bother to say anything about votes obtained by the rival candidate.

The district council members belonging to PTI, PPP, PML-N and some disgruntled members of JUI-F and ANP voted for Waqar Ahmad.

After the voting, assistant director local government Fazalullah presented the report about vote count to the convener who announced that the PTI candidate had got 57 votes and was declared victorious in the election for officiating district nazim.

The opposition members belonging to ANP and JUI-F protested and boycotted the council meeting as they said that the proceedings for election of the officiating nazim were conducted in violation of the relevant law and rules.

The alleged that the district returning officer had not nominated a returning officer to conduct the said election as provided under rule 1 sub rule 1 and 2 of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Local Council (conduct of elections) Rules 2013-14. They demanded of the relevant authorities to declare the election as null and void.

Published in Dawn, December 28th, 2018