Candidates flexing muscles for LG polls in Abbottabad

ABBOTTABAD: The candidates of various political parties have started flexing their muscles to run for the second phase of the local bodies’ elections in the four tehsils of the district. About 75 candidates filed nomination papers for tehsil chairmen slots.

Around 4,057 candidates have filed nomination papers for the seats of General Councillor, Kisan Councillor, Lady Councillor and seats of minorities in 195 village and 14 neighbourhood councils in the district. According to the election schedule, candidates could withdraw the nomination papers by March 3. The election symbols will be allotted to the candidates on March 4.

Abbottabad has 891,531 registered voters. And the Abbottabad Tehsil is the largest tehsil where 591,650 voters are registered.

According to the district election commission, 75 candidates for tehsil chairmen’s slot filed nomination papers from four tehsils of district Abbottabad. Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz has filed papers of former MPA Sardar Shamoon Yar Khan for chairmanship of Abbottabad Tehsil. Shamoon Yar is the elder son of former chief minister Sardar Mahtab Ahmad Khan.

The PMLN has nominated Iftikhar Ahmad Abbasi for Chairman Lora Tehsil, Sardar Arsal Pervez for Havelian Tehsil and Dildar Khan for Lower Tanawal. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has given the ticket to Sardar Shujah Nabi, who is grandson of former provincial Minister Sardar Ghulam Nabi.

Young businessman Rajab Ali Khan is the PTI candidate for Lora Tehsil, Aslam Zar Khan Jadoon for Tehsil Havelian and Junaid Ahmad for Tehsil Lower Tanawal. Other aspirants in Abbottabad Tehsil included Abdul Rizzaq Abbasi of Jamaat-e-Islami, Naseer Khan (Pakistan Awami Tehreek), Syed Jaffar Shah (PPP), Sultan-ul-Arifeen ( Tehreek-e -Suba Hazara), Asad Javed Khan ( Haqooq Suba Hazara) and former district nazim Sardar Sher Bahadur who is contesting as independent candidate.

Muhammad Ishaque, a former Tehsil Nazim in Abbottabad is contesting the election from Tehsil Lower Tanawal as independent candidate. Although the election symbols have not been allotted to candidates, however, the political parties have nominated candidates for tehsils.

The real contest in all the four tehsils of Abbottabad is expected between ruling PTI and PMLN.