SWABI, Oct 14: Electioneering for the vacant slots of Nazim in three union councils of the district is gaining momentum, as a tough contest is expected among the candidates. Polling will be held on Oct 16.

The seats of Nazim of the union councils of Panjpir, Gabasri   and Sard Cheena became vacant when Nazims-elect were elected the Nazim and the Naib Nazim of two tehsil councils.

The Nazim of the Panjpir union council, Masood Jabbar, and   the Nazim of the Gabasri union council, Ali Yar Khan, were elected the Nazim and the Naib Nazim of the Swabi tehsil council, while the Nazim of the Sard Cheena union council, Kafayatullah, won the slot of the Naib Nazim of the Chota Lahor tehsil council.

A one-to-one contest is expected in the Panjpir union council between a social worker and leader of the Swabi Qaumi Mahaz, Hashmat Khan, and Awami National Party’s Gohar Rehman. In the poll held in March, the former was the runner-up, while the latter achieved the third position.

For the slot of the Sard Cheena union council’s Nazim, Mohammad Rafiq, backed by the ANP and the Jamaat-i-Islami, and Mohammad Sabir, backed by the Naib Nazim of Chota Lahor tehsil council and the Collective Independent Swabi Group, are heading for a close contest.

Five candidates are in the run for the slot of the Gabasri union council’s Nazim.  The contestants are Zahir Shah of Manglechahi, Zahir Shah of Gabasri, Sabir Rehman, Gul Rehman and Baghishah.

The latter is backed by the incumbent Naib Nazim of the Swabi tehsil council, Ali Yar Khan. However, analysts said that the real contest would take place between the two Shahs.

However, keeping in view the prevailing public mood, Sabir Rehman, Baghishah and Gul Rehman have convened a jirga on Sunday evening to arrive at an understanding that only one of the three candidates would remain in the field and the other two would withdraw their candidatures.

The chairman of the Swabi Qaumi Mahaz, Dr Salim, while speaking to party workers, hoped that the SQM candidate would claim the victory.