PTI to form govt in Swabi tehsil

SWABI: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) may form government in Chota Lahor tehsil as a councillor from the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) announced joining the Imran Khan-led party, which has consolidated its position.
The PTI had eight seats in the 18-member tehsil council in Chota Lahor while the seven-party alliance, Swabi Democratic Alliance, won 10 seats in the May 30 local government elections.
However, JUI-F councillor Shahab Khan, who was elected from Chota Lahor tehsil, switched his loyalty and joined the PTI. It equalled the number of seats of the PTI and the Swabi Democratic Alliance in the tehsil council.
Earlier, it seemed that the Swabi Democratic Alliance would form the tehsil government. Fahim Khan of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz was its candidate for the slot of tehsil nazim and Asad Sher of Awami National Party was its nominee for the position of tehsil naib nazim. Also, one of the female tehsil councillors of Swabi Democratic Alliance, who returned to the tehsil council on the women reserved seats, didn’t turn up at the oath-taking ceremony.
Peshawar Bureau adds: The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Saturday accused Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser of using official resources to win the support of the women councillors of the three-party alliance in Swabi district.
Speaking at a press conference here, PML-N Chota Lahor chapter president Ayaz Khan, general secretary Nawabzada and Youth Wing president Shahjehan Badshah said that eight councillors of the PTI had returned to the tehsil council in the May 30 local government elections.
They said the alliance comprising Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) and PML-N won 10 seats and it was in a position to form its government in Chota Lahor tehsil.
The PML-N leaders accused Asad Qaiser of using official resources to win the support of the women councillors from the three-party alliance to vote for the PTI candidates. They asked the provincial Election Commission to postpone the election being held today for the slot of district nazim Swabi and probe the matter.