KOHAT: After allocation of reserved seats to the winning parties, CM’s adviser Amjid Afridi-led Azeem Bagh group has strengthened the chances of his son for the post of district nazim with 26 seats, followed by 22 of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf PTI in the district council.

However, the JUI-F having six seats still holds an important position and its alliance with any side would prove to be a decisive factor in formation of the district government.

The list of successful candidates on reserved seats includes 11 slots for women, and two each for labourers/farmers, youth and minorities.

On women seats Jameela Paracha, Farzana Matiullah, Rehana Israr, Fareeda Begum, Shahana Mumtaz, Sameena Qureshi, Razia Begum, Ambreen of PML-N, Zenab Qureshi of PTI, Almas Begum JUI-F and Sabah Qaiser PPP had been declared as final and confirmed members of the district council.

Similarly, Shah Raza of PML-N and Ehsanullah of PTI were declared members on labourers seats; Hafiz Shakir of PML-N and Shehryar Khalid of PTI on youth seats; and Yaqoob Masih and Javed Masih of PTI finalised on minorities seats.

Afridi-led group has 26 seats, PTI 22 and JUI-F six in the district council

The current position indicates that Babar Azeem, son of the CM’s adviser, could win the race. He has still kept his independent status intact.

Meanwhile, in the tehsil council, Azeem Bagh had 22 seats after filling of the nine seats for women, and two each of labourers, youth and minorities.

The women seats had been allotted to Shazia Gul Mahnoor, Shaheen Imran, Jasmeen Begum, Naureen Banoori, Yasmin Bibi of PML-N, Asma Naz of PTI, Syeda Begum of JUI-F, Sofia Begum JI and Dilara Jan of ANP. Fazle Rabi of PML-N and Mohammad Tayyab PTI got the labourers seats; Safeer Mohammad PML-N and Mr Rehman of PTI youth seats; while Tanveer Khokhar of PML-N and Madan Laal of PTI grabbed the minorities seats.

The JUI-F is currently in the make or break position and could demand the seat of district nazim. The Azeem Bagh group has formed an alliance with the PPP, PML-N, ANP and JUI-F.

The leaders of parties except JUI-F have given a free hand to their local workers to form an alliance with any party at the district level. Sources said that the PTI with 22 seats was making efforts to get the support of JUI-F.

They said that it had also offered the JUI-F the seat of district nazim. Reliable sources said that the local leaders of PTI and JUI-F had shunned differences to enter into an alliance, but Maulana Fazlur Rehman was still not giving them the ‘no objection certificate’.

The sources said that MNA Shehryar Afridi also now wanted to get the support of JUI-F for formation of the PTI-led district government and was ready to give it the post of district nazim.

All the three MPAs and MNA in Kohat belong to PTI and it would like to form government at the district level so as to keep its grip on the local politics and win in general elections in future.

Published in Dawn, August 10th, 2015

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