Four independents join PTI in Abbottabad

ABBOTTABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has won enough seats to form district government here as four of the six independents have joined it, while its position is strong in the remaining seven wards, where re-polling schedule has been announced by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
According to official results announced by ECP, the PTI is leading with 24 seats of the total 51 followed by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) with 18.The Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) have won one seat each. The results of seven seats have been withheld, where re-polling will take place on July 5.
The independents, who have joined the PTI included, Mohammad Fayyaz Khan elected from Nathiagali, Sardar Mohammad Ayaz from Beerangali, Mohammad Shah Nawaz from Sherwan, and Sardar Sher Bahadur from Kehal urban.
Mohammad Asif elected from Jarrel joined the PML-N and Waseem Khan Jadoon joined the PPP.In Abbottabad tehsil, the results of six of the 38 wards have been withheld while in the remaining 31 wards, the PML-N has won 14 seats, PTI 12, JI five and Pakistan Rah-e-Haq Party one.
Five independents, including Sardar Raheel Khan, Shuja, Sardar Mohammad Ayub, Mujtaba Khan and Arif Khan, have joined the JI while Rashid Khan has announced joining the PTI.In Havelian tehsil, the PTI is leading with six seats, followed by the PML-N with five seats while the only independent candidate Malik Shehzad Mehmood Khan has yet to join any political party. The result of one union council has been withheld.
Ali Khan Jadoon, son of former federal minister Amanullah Khan Jadoon, seems to be a strong candidate for the top slot of Abbottabad district while Sardar Waqar Nabi is also trying to get the party ticket for the district nazim slot.
Sardar Sher Bahadur, the former district president of PTI, who had contested election as independent and had defeated the PTI nominee, the brother-in-law of provincial information minister Mushtaq Ahmad Ghani, has rejoined the PTI.
Sher Bahadur is considered to be the favourite for the slot of district naib nazim whereas Sajid Ali Khan Abbasi is also trying to get party ticket.Surprisingly, the PML-N has stopped lobbying to get the slot of the district nazim due to unknown reasons.