PESHAWAR: The Election Commission of Pakistan on Sunday notified the victory of PTI leader Ali Amin Gandapur — who is likely to become the chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa — along with 92 other candidates, mostly PTI-backed, who were elected to the provincial assembly in Feb 8 polls.

Initially, the election watchdog issued notifications for 92 candidates that did not include Mr Gandapur, who emerged victorious on two seats: PK-113 and NA-44 in Dera Ismail Khan. His victory notification for the KP assembly as well as the NA seat was issued separately in the evening.

The ECP issued notification of 93 candidates, including 83 PTI-backed candidates, two PPP candidates, and three JUI-F nominees besides five other independent candidates. Out of 115 KP Assembly seats, elections were not held on PK-22 in Bajaur and PK-91 in Kohat as polling was postponed after the deaths of contesting candidates.

The ECP notified results of Upper and Lower Chitral, all eight constituencies of Swat, three seats of Upper Dir, five seats of Lower Dir, Bajaur-I, Malakand-I and II, Buner-I, Buner-II and III, Kohistan Upper, Kohistan Lower, Kolai Pallas Kohistan, Battagram-I and II, four seats of Mansehra, three seats of Abbottabad, three seats of Haripur, five constituencies of Swabi, eight seats of Mardan, five seats of Charsadda, two seats of Mohmand.

Out of 115 seats, results of 93 constituencies notified by election commission

The commission also notified victory of candidates on PK-69 (Khyber-I), PK-70 (Khyber-II), PK-71 (Khyber-III), PK-76 (Peshawar-V), PK-77 (Peshawar-VI), PK-81 (Peshawar-X), PK-83 (Peshawar-XII), PK-84 (Peshawar-XIII), PK-85 (Nowshera-I), PK-86 (Nowshera-II), PK-87 (Nowshera-III), PK-88 (Nowshera-IV), PK-89 (Nowshera-V), PK-90 (Kohat-I), PK-92 (Kohat-III), PK-93 (Hangu), PK-94 (Orakzai), PK-96 (Kurram-II), PK-97 (Karak-I), PK-98 (Karak-II), PK-99 (Bannu-I), PK-100 (Bannu-II), PK-104 (North Waziristan-II), PK-105 (Lakki Marwat-I), PK-106 (Lakki Marwat-II), PK-107 (Lakki Marwat-III), PK-108 (Tank), PK-109 (South Waziristan Upper), PK-110 (South Waziristan Lower), PK-111 (D.I. Khan-I), PK-112 (D.I. Khan-II), PK-113 (D.I. Khan-III), PK-114 (D.I. Khan-IV), and PK-115 (D.I. Khan-V) seats.

Though the notifications for the abovementioned constituencies were issued on Sunday, there are about 22 seats on which they have been withheld due to various reasons, including litigations. These constituencies include PK-20, PK-21, PK-22, PK-28, PK-29, PK-30, PK-40, PK-41, PK-44, PK-72, PK-73, PK-74, PK-76, PK-78, PK-79, PK-80, PK-82, PK-91, PK-95, PK-101, PK-102, and PK-103.

Initially, Forms-47 showed that 85 PTI-backed candidates had won the February 8 polls, but after the recount in three constituencies which were earlier won by Jamaat-i-Islami, the PTI-backed candidates won these seats as well.

On Thursday, a division bench of the Peshawar High Court sent multiple applications to the returning officers concerned and ordered the applicants to approach the election watchdog, in case results were consolidated, meaning Form-49 were issued.

The court had issued these orders while hearing writ petitions filed by PTI-backed Sajid Nawaz, Taimur Salim Jhagra, Mehmood Jan, Kamran Bangash, Arbab Jahandad, Muhammad Asim, Ali Zaman and advocate Malik Shahab, who had challenged the results of February 8 polls, claiming that they were tampered.

Published in Dawn, February 19th, 2024