–PTI emerges as the biggest party in tribal belt with five seats, JUI-F bags 3, while ANP and JI manage to win one seat each
–Independents steal the show with six seats
–PPP and PML-N nominees fail to win even a single seat
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and independent candidates are leading in the first-ever tribal districts polls with five and six seats, respectively, according to the Form 47 shared by the Election Commission of Pakistan on its website.
Some 2.8 million voters were registered for the elections, with 1,897 polling stations open from 8 am to 5 pm amid heightened security on Saturday. Around 34,000 army and paramilitary troops were deployed in the area.
According to the initial results, two major political parties, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) failed to secure even a single seat. However, Jamiat-Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) managed to grab three seats, while Awani National Party (ANP) and Jamaat-e-Islami only secured one seat each.
According to details, PTI candidates Anwar Zeb Khan, Ajmal Khan, Syed Iqbal Mian, Abid Rehman and Muhammad Iqbal Khan have been elected on PK-100 Bajaur-I, PK-101 Bajaur-II, PK-109 Kurram-II, PK-115 Frontier Regions and PK-111, North Waziristan-I, respectively.
Similarly, five independent candidates, including Abbas Rehman, Shafiq Afridi, Bilawal Afridi, Muhammad Shafique Khan and Syed Ghazi Ghazan Jamal have been elected from PK-104-II, PK-105 Khyber-I, PK 106 Khyber-II, PK-107 Khyber-III and PK-110 Orakzai, respectively. Independent nominee Mir Kalam Khan also stood victorious in North Waziristan’s constituency PK-112.
Nisar Mohmand of ANP has been elected as member Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly from PK-103 Mohmand-I whereas Sirajuddin of Jamat-e-Islami from PK-102 Bajaur-III.
Meanwhile, the JUI-F managed to bag Kurram-I (PK-108) and ex-frontier regions (PK-115) seats, with its nominees Muhammad Riaz and Muhammad Shoaib emerging victorious. The South Waziristan-I (PK-113) was clinched by the JUI-F’s Hafiz Issamuddin by a wide margin.
In all, 285 candidates, including two women, contested the 16 general seats of the KP Assembly to represent three constituencies each of Bajaur (PK-100 to 102) and Khyber (PK-105 to 107) districts; two each of Mohmand (PK-103 and 104), Kurram (PK-108 and 109), North Waziristan (PK-111 and 112) and South Waziristan (PK-113 and 114); and one each of Orakzai (PK-110) district and ex-Frontier regions (PK-115).
Besides PTI nominees, Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), Awami National Party (ANP), Pakistan Peoples Party- Parliamentarians (PPP-P), Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Qaumi Watan Party (QWP), several independent candidates contested the polls.
Speaking to journalists, PTI leader and Defence Minister Pervaiz Khattak termed the victory a proof of people’s trust in the ruling PTI and rejection of the politics of the opposition. He claimed that some of the independent candidates were in contact with his party to join the government ranks.