Legharis routed, PML-N’s other group grabs nine seats

LG polls in DG Khan

DERA GHAZI KHAN: The powerful Leghari group of Pakistan Muslim League-N faced a big upset in the municipal corporation after all its contestants lost the local government (LG) elections. The changing trend has widened the gap between masses and the Legharis in the urban populace, which have been their stronghold in the past.

As per unofficial and unconfirmed results, an independent candidate AD Bhambani of Khosa group has been elected from UC-1 with 1,490 votes, while the PML-N candidate Syed Ayaz Shah could secure 1,098 votes. Independent candidate Muhammad Aslam Khalool was elected as the chairman from UC-2, while the PML-N candidate Khadim Hussain stood second.

Khalid Mehmood Malik of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was elected chairman of UC-3 with 1,331 votes, while his rival Syed Fayyaz Hussain Shah of the PML-N could get 1,212 votes. PML-N’s candidate Zulqarnain Lashari was elected chairman from UC-4 with 1,513 votes, while his rival Mian Riaz Hussain of Khosa group could secure 790 votes.

From UC-5, Syed Dilawar Hussain Naqvi of the PML-N was elected with 1,518 votes, while PTI’s contestant Fayyaz Hussain Gishkori bagged 1,472 votes. In UC-6, Sher Baaz Buzdar of Khosa group, led by Zulfiqar Khosa, was elected with 1,214 votes and independent candidate Mian Rashid Siddiqui got 1,031 votes.

Shahid Hameed Chandia of the PML-N was elected from UC-7 with 2,379 votes, while an independent candidate Saleem Khan Tareen secured 2,316 votes.

From UC-8, PML-N candidate Muhammad Sarwar Siddiqui was elected with 2,114 votes, while an independent candidate Sheikh Abdul Ghaffar secured 1,393 votes. In UC-9, an independent candidate Sheikh Israr Ahmad was elected with 2,807 votes, and his rival another independent contestant Tariq Ali Khan Kakar got 1,703 votes.

The PML-N won the office for UC-10 with Sheikh Muhammad Naqeeb who obtained 2,473 votes, while his rival Malik Muhammad Iqbal Saqib of the PTI secured 1,434 votes.

Zafar Tahir Mastoi of the PML-N succeeded with 2,189 votes while his opponent PTI candidate Malik Mehboob Saqib got 1,791 votes in UC-11.

In UC-12, an independent contestant Malik Faheem Amjad, supported by the PML-N, won the slot with 1,485 votes, and his rival an independent candidate Sardar Habibur Rahman Leghari bagged 1,051 votes.

Haji Khuda Bakhsh Khosa of the PML-N was elected from UC-13 with record 3,000 votes, while the PTI candidate, Abdul Rahman Leghari, could get 1,300 votes. An independent contestant Absaar Ahmad Khan Lodhi was elected from UC-14 with 1,721 votes, and his rival Naseem Akhtar could get 1,670 votes. PML-N’s Mushtaq Shahid Bughlani was elected from UC-15 with 2,160 votes, while an independent candidate Sheikh Tauqeer Waheed Qureshi could grab 1,861 votes. Mian Sultan Mehmood Daha of PML-N was elected with 2,114 votes, while PTI’s candidate Sardar Niazi could get 1,542 votes. In UC-17, an independent candidate Nazimuddin Khan Buzdar was elected with 1,601 votes, while his rival Sheikh Bilal could secure 1,519 votes. In the last LG system, Mehmood Qadir Leghari of the Pakistan Muslim League-Q (Leghari group) served as tehsil nazim Dera Ghazi Khan. Now, out of 17 seats of the municipal corporation, the PML-N group, led by Hafiz Abdul Kareem and Syed Abdul Aleem Shah, has secured nine seats, while Zulfiqar Khosa group got three seats. One seat has been grabbed by the PTI while four independent contestants have won seats. Analysts believe the PML-N may give an edge to its MNA Hafiz Abdul Kareem and MPA Syed Abdul Aleem Shah for nomination of mayor’s slot.