Electioneering in Lakki Marwat gaining momentum

LAKKI MARWAT: Like other parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the election campaign in Lakki Marwat district has peaked as the local government elections are being held on May 30.The district has 33 union councils, now called wards. There are 96 village councils in the district. The Lakki Marwat tehsil has 24 wards and Serai Naurang tehsil nine wards.
The District Council has 33 seats and there are 297 candidates, including 33 nominees of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), 19 of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), 12 of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), five of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), eight of Awami National Party (ANP), two of Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) and 218 independents.
A total of 294 candidates are contesting election for the tehsils of Lakki Marwat and Serai Naurang where 32 candidates are of JUI-F, 11 of PPP, nine of PTI, seven of ANP, five of JI, seven from PML-N, and two from Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Sami (JUI-S). Besides, there are 200 independent candidates in the run.
As many as 3,883 candidates, including 488 females, are contesting the local government elections in Lakki Marwat district.The Election Commission has established 394 polling stations, including 152 for males, 138 for females and 104 combined. There would be 336 polling booths for males and 580 for female.
An official said that 5,885 staff including 3,928 males and 1,957 females would be deputed on the polling day. To win majority of the seats in district and tehsil councils, most of the political and religious parties have made alliances.
The ANP and JUI-F have decided to contest the election without forming any alliance. The PPP, PML-N, JI, PTI, JUI-S and JUI (Ideological) have made electoral alliances. Tough contest is expected between the PTI, JUI-F, PPP and JI candidates.
The PTI has awarded ticket to Mansoor Kamal, son of the late PML-N leader Anwar Kamal Khan Marwat, to contest the LG election from Lakki town for tehsil council. His opponent Dr Sarfaraz Khan, son of Dr Khalid Latif and nephew of Barrister Abid Nawaz of the PML-N, is contesting the election on JUI-F ticket.
For the district council, Ashfaq Khan has been awarded ticket by PPP while his opponent, former tehsil nazim Arifullah Khan Minakhel, has received ticket from the JUI-F.In Begukhel union council, the PPP has awarded ticket to Khanzada Ahmed Jan for district councillor seat while his opponent is Waheed Aslam, who is contesting on the ticket by the JUI-F.
Political analysts say the main contest is expected between the JUI-F and PTI in Lakki Marwat. In some areas, clashes were also reported between the supporters of the two parties.
However, PTI candidates are facing problems in some union councils of urban areas, including Lakki town, Begukhel, Ahmedkhel, Issakkhel, Dallokhel, Serai Naurang and Tajori. Observers say that in the 33-seat assembly of the District Council, PTI may get seven seats, JUI-F 10, PPP two seats and ANP and JI one seat each. The PML-N may get two seats while independent candidates are expected to win 10 seats.According to political analysts, the PTI with the support of independent candidates could be the ultimate winner in the district.