MANSEHRA: Candidate in Mansehra’s NA-15 constituency Shahzada Gustasab Khan on Saturday said he was hopeful that the Election Commission of Pakistan would reject the objections of his rival candidate and PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif about election results to let him take the oath in the National Assembly next week.

“Mr Sharif has lost the election by a margin of over 25,000 votes according to Form 47 that carried results from all polling stations, including those in Torghar,” Mr Shahzada told reporters here.

He said the returning officer had yet to include postal ballots and review rejected votes.

Mr Sharif had moved the ECP seeking the “inclusion” of votes polled in Torghar in Form 47.

Mr Shahzada said the report submitted by returning officer Hajra Sami to the ECP confirmed that votes from all polling stations of the constituency, including Torghar’s, were mentioned in Form 47.

He said Mr Sharif’s son-in-law retired Captain Mohammad Safdar was using different tactics to delay election results.

“The ECP will hold a hearing into Mr Sharif’s plea on Feb 26. I’ll also appear before it along with my legal team,” he said.

Meanwhile, Jamaat-i-Islami nominee in PK-38 Ahmad Khan Tanoli on Saturday said he would continue to serve the people of Pulrah and its suburbs despite defeat in the Feb 8 elections.

Mr Tanoli told reporters here that the people feared that JI would suspend its welfare and development programmes in Pulrah and other parts of Mansehra district after election defeat, but such fears were untrue.

“Election defeat cannot stop us from our commitment to serving people,” he said.

ENCROACHMENTS: The people of Oghi on Saturday demanded of the tehsil municipal administration to crack down on encroachments, including permanent illegal structures and handcarts, from the city and its suburbs.

“All major roads in Oghi city and on its outskirts often remain choked due to permanent and temporary encroachments,” former tehsil councillor Akram Khan told reporters in Oghi.

Accompanied by a group of residents, Mr Khan said traffic mess was seen on Shergar Road, Toheed Road and Mansehra Road all through the day as encroachments, especially handcarts, hampered smooth movement of vehicles.

“The TMA Oghi had planned an anti-encroachment drive in the city and its suburbs but it wasn’t launched after pushcart owners promised to mend their ways,” he said.

The former councillor said if the TMA should remove all structures from the right of way in the city and its suburbs to ensure smooth flow of traffic.

Published in Dawn, February 25th, 2024