MANSEHRA: Tough competition is expected between independents and candidates of political parties for tehsil chairman slots in the four tehsils of Upper Kohistan district in March 31 local government elections.

A total of 28 candidates, including 19 independents, are in the run for the chairman slots in Dasu, Kandia, Harban Basha and Suo tehsils of Upper Kohistan.

Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf has fielded its candidates for the top slots in all the four tehsils of the district, which is considered as the stronghold of religious parties, mainly Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl.

The JUI-F has fielded its candidates in three of four tehsils.

A total of nine candidates four of them independents are contesting the elections for chairman’s slot in Dasu tehsil, seven candidates including two independents in Harban Basha, 10 independents among 16 in Kandia and six candidates, half of them independents, for tehsil top slot in Suo.

The PTI had fielded its candidates in all the four tehsils, JUI-F in three, PML-N in three and PPP in one tehsil of the conservative district.

Residents said that different tribes had fielded their candidates in the four tehsils and tough competition was expected between them and those fielded by the political parties.

Published in Dawn, March 16th, 2022