HANGU, Aug 5: Thirty-five women and six minority candidates returned unopposed to different union councils of Hangu district ahead of the local government election.

Assistant election commissioner, Hangu Sharifullah Marwat, announced on Friday that 41 seats in 19 union councils of the district had been decided without contest. He said that of the winners, 16 women had submitted nominations for Muslim general seats and 19 for peasant/worker seats. Seven nominations had been received for the eight minority seats, of which six were declared elected unopposed, while one minority candidate’s nomination was rejected.

BAN ON WOMEN: Local groups have barred women from taking part in the Kahi union council polls of the district.