MANSEHRA: The Pakistan Peoples Party has named former minister Shuja Salim Khan as its candidate for the upcoming election of Mansehra tehsil council chairman.

It also announced its nominees for the same office in Balakot, Oghi, Battagram, Abbottabad and Havelian tehsils.

The announcement was made by PPP Hazara divisional president Malik Abdul Waheed after holding a meeting with the party’s provincial general secretary, Shuja Salim Khan, here the other day.

The party’s office-bearers from Abbottabad, Battagram, Torghar, Upper and Lower Kohistan and Kolai-Palas districts also attended the meeting.

Mr Waheed told reporters afterwards that Amir Mughal would be the PPP’s candidate for tehsil chairman election in Balakot, Anwar Saeed in Oghi, Roidad Khan in Battagram, Jaffar Shah in Abbottabad and Sardar Shiraz in Havelian.

He said the party would make an electoral seat adjustment with the PPP-Shaheed Bhutto in Lora and Sherwan tehsils of Abbottabad district, while candidates for Baffa-Pakhal and Darband tehsils in Mansehra district would be announced soon.

The PPP leader said the party would approach all political parties including the ruling PTI for support or seat adjustments in Hazara division local body elections.

Meanwhile, Qaumi Watan Party chairman Aftab Sherpao has authorised former minister Abrar Hussain Tanoli to name the party’s candidates for tehsil council chairmanship in Mansehra district and make seat adjustments with other parties for the second phase of the local body elections.

“We [QWP] will field candidates for tehsil chairmen’s offices and make electoral alliance wherever it is necessary,” Mr Tanoli told reporters in Oghi area here the other day. He claimed that the QWP was in a strong position to claim two of five tehsil chairman offices in Mansehra district.

“Leaders of some political parties have contacted him for electoral seat adjustment, while I have also established contact with some others for the purpose,” he said.

Published in Dawn, January 15th, 2022