SWABI: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf is facing a daunting task to maintain its dominant position in the Swabi district in the Feb 8 elections.

The party had swept the elections in 2018, winning all the seven constituencies, including two National Assembly and five provincial assembly seats. In the 2013 elections, the party had also won a majority of seats.

Insiders told Dawn on Tuesday that despite the claims made by the PTI leaders, especially former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser, and former advisor to the chief minister, Abdul Karim, that the party was in strong position for the elections, their election campaign had been marred by a ‘hostile environment’.

A prominent leader told Dawn on condition of anonymity that though all odds were stacked against PTI it still believed the situation would take a turn for the better. “The party is fighting a war of its survival,” he opined.

When contacted, Sohail Yousafzai, PTI Swabi president, said they hoped the party’s former chief Imran Khan would be set free before the elections. “Once he comes out from jail then the result of the elections will be totally different.”

Former adviser Abdul Karim said their expectations were attached with youngsters, who were running the poll campaign with enthusiasm.

The political observers said in the event of PTI not being allowed to contest the elections with full vigour, candidates of other parties stood a good chance of winning the elections from the district.

THREE ARRESTED: The police on Tuesday arrested three people for brandishing weapons in videos posted on social media.

DSP Jawad said he led the police party, which arrested the accused, Saddam Khan, Zar Mohammad and Mohammad Farooq, residents of Swabi city. A Kalashnikov, two pistols and dozens of cartridges were recovered from them, he added.

“The police have declared that exhibiting weapons on social media is strictly prohibited,” DSP Jawad said.

He said a case had been registered against the accused.

Separately, the police recovered the body of a man on Tuesday.

Officials at city police station said the deceased had gone out of his home on Monday, but did not return. Later, his body was recovered from Pehur High Level Canal area.

The deceased was identified as Ateequr Rehman.

The police have registered an FIR and started investigation.

Published in Dawn, December 27th, 2023