PESHAWAR, Aug 24: A total of 13,584 candidates are contesting in 430 union councils of the province in the second phase of local government elections. In this phase, candidates fielded by the Watan Dost, the Awam Dost, the Al-Khaidmat, the Mutahidda, the Tarraqi Pasand and other panels supported by various political parties are in the run for 6644 Muslim (general), 1276 Muslim (women), 3492 peasant/worker, 830 peasant/worker (women) and 1322 nazim/ naib nazim seats in 12 districts of the NWFP.

A close contest is expected between the Al-Khaidmat and the Awam Dost panels in the Upper Dir and the Lower Dir districts. In Chitral district, situation is uncertain as no panel seems to have an edge.

In Hangu district, a total of 561 candidates are contesting in 19 UCs, in Lakki Marwat 1780 candidates in 33 UCs, in Abbottabad 1,648 candidates in 51 UCs, in Mansehra 1,652 candidates in 59 UCs and in Battagram 512 candidates are contesting in 20 UCs.

597 candidates in Kohistan district are contesting in the 38 UCs, in Swat 2,272 candidates in 65 UCs, in Shangla 875 candidates in 28 UCs, in Upper Dir 810 candidates in 28 UCs, in Lower Dir 1,088 candidates in 37 UCs, in Chitral 833 candidates in 24 UCs and in Malakand 956 candidates are all set to contest in 28 UCs.

Due to absence of minority population in these districts, only 20 candidates — six from Chitral, two from Shangla and six from Swat— are contesting for the minority seats.

Neither a female nor a minority candidate is contesting the elections in the conservative Kohistan district.

However, agreements among various political and religious elders, barring women candidates from contest in Battagram and the Lower Dir districts, has been defied and 161 women candidates are contesting for Muslim seats and Peasant/worker seats reserved for women in the Lower Dir district.

In Battagram district, where a written agreement was signed by local elders to bar women candidates from contesting election, 42 women candidates are in the run.

According to a statement issued by the provincial election commission, a total of 3,412,244 voters were registered in the twelve districts where polling will take place on August 2r5. 540 polling station for males and 505 for females have been set up in these districts.

Shangla, Hangu, Lakki Marwat and Battagram have been declared sensitive areas where paramilitary forces and regular troops have been deployed to maintain law and order situation during and after polling.