QUETTA, Oct 6: The ruling Pakistan Muslim League won the posts of nazim in 14 of the 27 districts of Balochistan, including the crucial Quetta and Gwadar districts, in the third phase of local bodies’ polls held on Thursday.

PML’s Mir Maqbool Lehri, a former mayor of Quetta, was elected Quetta city nazim. He defeated PML’s official candidate Mohammad Rahim Kakar, former city nazim, Dr Kaleemullah, the joint candidate of Awam Dost-Watan-Dost panel of major opposition and nationalist parties.

Coalition partners of the ruling PML, JUI-F, the main component of the MMA, and Balochistan National Party (Awami group) also fared well. In five districts of Pashtoon areas, JUI- F emerged victorious while BNP-Awami won in Kech and Panjgur districts. The crucial district of Gwadar was bagged by the PML. Mir Abdul Ghafoor Kalmati who had recently joined the PML defeated the nationalist party candidate.

However, nationalists won the district nazim’s posts in Khuzdar, Mastung and Awaran while Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami party could win only in Musakhel.

There was some upset results in the province. Former provincial minister Mir Asadullah Khan Baloch clinched the district nazim seat of Panjgur, defeating BNP-Mengal and National Party.

Similarly in Nasirabad district, Mir Sadiq Ali Umrani of the PPP was defeated by PML’s Sardar Fateh Ali Umrani who was backed by former prime minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali. The victory of Khair Jan Baloch in Awaran and Ali Gul in Kohlu against PML- backed candidates came as a shock for the PML provincial leadership.

In Kalat, Prince Umar Daud Ahmedzai, younger brother of the Khan of Kalat, could not win the district nazim’s seat. He was defeated by former nazim Mir Niamatullah Zehri. Sardar Sanaullah Zehri, senior vice-president of National Party, had entered into an alliance with the JUI to secure support for his younger brother. However, his other brother Zafarullah Zehri lost in Khuzdar to a candidate of the BNP-M and National Party.

The defeat of the official candidate of the PML high command Mohammad Rahim Kakar in Quetta at the hands of another Muslim Leaguer is seen as a big blow for the party leadership.

The complete unofficial results of 27 districts of Balochistan are as under:

Nushki - Mir Bahadur Khan Mengal (Muttahida Qabail-PML); Washuk, Mir Habib-ur-Rehman Mohammad Hasni (PML-Al-Fateh Group); Jaffarabad, Mir Khan Mohammad Khan Mengal (PML); Nasirabad, Sardar Fateh Mohammad Umrani (PML); Barkhan, Mir Habibullah Khetran (PML); Sibi, Mir Ali Mardan Domki (PML); Bolan, Sardar Khan Rind (PML-Rind group), Gwadar, Mir Abdul Ghafoor Kalmati (PML); Chagai, Mir Hashim Khan Notezai (PML); Loralai, Jahanzaib Khan Luni (PML-MPAP); Kohlu, Ali Gul (Independent); Pishin, Maulana Kamal-ud-Din (JUI-F); Ziarat, Dilawar Khan Kakar (JUI-F); Qila Abdullah, Haji Adam Khan (JUI-F); Qila Saifullah, Maulana Anwar-ud-Din (JUI-F); and Zhob, Molvi Habib-ur-Rehman (JUI-F).

Kalat, Mir Niamatullah Khan Zehri (NP-JUI alliance); Khuzdar, Sardar Naseer Ahmed Moosini (NP-BNP-M-alliance); Awaran, Mir Khair Jan Baloch (National Party); Mastung, Sardar Kamal Khan Bangulzai (National Party-BNP-M); Musakhel, Sardar Taimoor Shah (PMAP).

Kech, Mir Abdul Rauf Rind (BNP-Awami) and Panjgur, Mir Asadullah Khan Baloch (BNP-Awami).

The District nazims of three districts, Mohammad Kazim Bugti of Dera Bugti (JWP), Nawabzada Khalid Hussain Khan Magsi of Jhal Magsi (PML) and Jam Kamal Khan of Lasbela district (PML) were elected unopposed.

The Supreme Court of Pakistan ordered postponement of Nazim’s election in Kharan district as the petition of candidate Mir Ahmed Nawaz was pending before the apex court for hearing. Balochistan High Court had disqualified him after accepting a petition filed against him.

The joint opposition candidate, Rozi Khan Kakar (PPP), and Mir Mohammad Ismail Lehri of PML were elected nazims of Zarghoon and Chiltan towns of Quetta respectively.