DIR: The Jamaat-i-Islami retained its position and emerged strong to elect district chairman in Upper Dir after winning 22 district council seats out of total 32 in the local government elections, according to unofficial results. Close and tough competitions were witnessed among the rival parties and candidates. The JI won the Dir urban district seat for the first time in the history as its candidate Sahibzada Waliullah defeated former federal minister Najamudin Khan’s son Arifullah Khan, who was the candidate of the four-party alliance of Pakistan People’s Party, Awami National Party, Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz. The JI also won some other seats like union councils Qulandi, Ganori, Barikot, Bibyawar, Patrak, Tarptar, Deslawar for the first time in Upper Dir.
The party lost its strongest seat of Kotkey on which the PPP candidate Sahibzada Sanaullah defeated his cousin Sahibzada Sibghatullah of the JI. The PPP also lost several of its strong seats on which its candidates were never deafeated before. The JI came strong as well in three tehsils of the Upper Dir district — Dir, Brawal and Wari.
In Dir tehsil, the JI candidates won six out of 13 general seats. The PPP secured two seats from Dir tehsil.The PML-N won three and PTI and Jamiat-i-Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) one seat each from the Dir tehsil.
In the Brawal tehsil, the JI got four tehsil seats out of five as its candidates secured the Sundrawal, Brawal, Janbatti and Shahikot tehsil seats. The PPP won the only seat in Darikand ward from this tehsil.
In the Wari tehsil, the JI won five tehsil seats out of total nine. Its candidates won from Dislawar, Sundal, Nehag, Pashta and Akhgram wards. Only one independent candidate won from Wari ward. The ANP, PML-N and PTI secured one seat each from Wari tehsil.
In the Kalkot tehsil, the JI won two while one seat each was won by JUI-F, PPP and independent candidates out of a total five tehsil
seats.Women voted for the first time since 1970 in the Upper Dir district. Hundreds of women came out to cast ballots in three polling stations in Wari after two women exercised the right to vote at the Brawal ward.