KOHAT: The candidates of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl, Pakistan Peoples Party and an independent candidate are running neck and neck among the total 23 contestants vying for the top slots in all the four tehsils of Kohat.

For Kohat tehsil chairman, the contest is between JUI-F’s Maulana Sher Zaman and Shafi Jan, a Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s disgruntled leader, who decided to contest the elections as an independent, though candidates of PPP, Rah-i-Haq party and PTI are also in the running.

In Lachi tehsil, a tough contest is going to be witnessed between Khanzada Fawad Khan of JUI-F, who is the son of former PPP provincial minister Khanzada Shad Mohammad Khan, and PTI’s Mohammad Ehsan, among seven candidates running for the chairman’s slot.

Khanzada Fawad has support of the politically influential Khanzada family, while the PTI contestant enjoys the support of the business community because his father was a famous trader in Lachi Bazaar.

As far as Gumbat tehsil is concerned, a close contest is likely between PPP’s Babar Azeem, who is the son of three times MPA Amjid Afridi, and JUI-F’s Maulana Haq Nawaz.

Mr Azeem is also the nephew of PML-N’s former senator Abbas Afridi, and grandson of sitting PPP Senator Shamim Afridi.

In Darra Adamkhel tribal subdivision, Maulana Haq Nawaz of JUI-F would face PTI’s Saifur Rehman.

Published in Dawn, December 17th, 2021