SWABI: In a major upset, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf lost the top slots of three out of four teshils of Swabi district in the local body polls held on Sunday.

Awami National Party’s Ghulam Haqqani won the Razaar tehsil slot, defeating PTI candidate

Biland Iqbal, the uncle of Shahram Khan Tarakai, provincial minister for elementary and secondary education.

There was a difference of 22,047 votes between the winner and the runner-up candidate as ANP’s Haqqani obtained 57,271 votes against Mr Biland’s 35,223 votes.

Rulling party wins only one top slot, rest of three seats go to ANP, PML-N and JUI-F

Razaar has been a stronghold of ANP till general elections of 2013, and it was the first time that a candidate backed by the politically-influential Tarakai family faced a crushing defeat.

After victory, Mr Haqqani told mediapersons that his win was due to the fact that the Tarakai family had failed to work for people’s welfare.

Attaullah Khan of PTI, who was enjoying the support of National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser, won the Swabi tehsil chairman slot, bagging 29,363 against 21,050 secured by ANP’s Mohammad Akmal Khan.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s Adil Khan won the Chota Lahor’s top slot by securing 22,036 votes against the 14,820 votes bagged by Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl’s Mohammad Shahab.

Mohammad Asad, the son of former PML-N stalwart late Sher Zaman Sher, was contesting the election on ANP ticket, but failed to attract voters.

Mohammad Rahim Jadoon of JUI-F won the Topi chairman’s slot, defeating PTI’s Sohail Yousafzai.

Mr Jadoon, who was also enjoying the support of former provincial minister Ghafoor Khan Jadoon, got 25,110 votes. His runner-up received 17,277 votes. It was the first time that JUI-F has won a major seat from the area.

FIR REGISTERED: An FIR was registered against SHO Zaida police station over an alleged custodial death on Monday.

Amjid Khan of Shahmansoor village, who was arrested three days ago in a theft case, was allegedly killed in police custody.

The people of Shahmansoor poured onto the streets when they came to know about the death, blocking Swabi-Jehangira Road, while placing the body on the artery.

They demanded registration of FIR against SHO of Zaida police station Asif Khan.

When SP investigation Banaras Khan and other officials informed the protesting people that an FIR had been registered against the SHO, they dispersed.

However, the police have claimed the autopsy report of the body showed the man committed suicide inside the lock-up.

Published in Dawn, December 21st, 2021