PTI’s Umar Gandapur leads mayoral election in DI Khan

Total of 710,472 voters exercised constitutional right to vote

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate Umar Amin Gandapur was reportedly leading the mayoral polls in Dera Ismail Khan (DI Khan), as re-polling process in 13 districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was completed during the first phase of the local government elections.

A total of 710,472 voters – 362,924 men and 347,548 women – exercised their constitutional right.

The re-polling began at 8am and continued until 5pm without any break, while counting of votes was underway until the filing of this report. Unofficial results of 122 out of 296 polling stations show the PTI’s Umar Amin Gandapur leading with 22,688 votes. Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) candidate Kafeel Nizami is behind with 14,300 votes. Pakistan People’s Party (PPP)’s Faisal Karim Kundi stands in third place with 10,800 votes.

According to the Election Commission, the re-polling had to be held on seats of city mayor, tehsil chairman, neighborhood and village council seats where the polling had stopped during the first phase of local government elections due to brawl and the deaths of candidates.

The 13 districts include Charsadda, Nowshera, Khyber, Mohmand, Mardan, Kohat, Karak, Bannu, Lakki Marwat, Dera Ismail Khan, Buner, Bajaur and Peshawar. Security arrangements have also been made for the maintenance of law and order on Election Day.

Seven polling stations were set up in Peshawar, two in Nowshera, 39 in Khyber, three in Mohmand, three in Mardan, 55 in Kohat, 56 in Karak, 53 in Bannu, 12 in Lakki Marwat, eight in DI Khan, eight in Buner, and 13 in Bajaur.

In all, 302 polling stations and 1,039 polling booths were set up in the elections for city mayor in DI Khan, while the total number of registered voters was 344,000. On February 10, the ECP had announced the revised schedule for the second phase of the LG elections to be held in the remaining districts of KP on March 31.