SWABI: Voting on the PTI’s no-confidence motion against Swabi tehsil nazim Wahid Shah of the PML-N will be held today (Wednesday).

The motion was tabled by the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf. The tehsil council’s strength is 22. After the resignation of woman councillor Tabassum, nine members of the council belongs to the PTI, six to the Jamaat-i-Islami, three to the PML-N, and one to the ANP, PPP and JUI-F each.

Mr Shah was a member of the Jamaat-i-Islami before the JI, JUI-F, ANP, PPP and PML-N forged an alliance against the PTI after the May 2015 local body elections and got him elected nazim as their consensus candidate.

The JI members submitted a no confidence motion against Mr Shah and his deputy, Gohar Ali of the ANP, in Sept 2017. Also, the Jamaat expelled Mr Wahid. The JI and PTI members claimed that the nazim and his deputy were removed. However, the two got relief from the Peshawar High Court. Mr Shah and Mr Gohar later joined the PML-N and PTI respectively.

When contacted, Mr Shah said he foresaw the PTI members struggle to ensure the required quorum in the house.

He alleged that some PTI leaders like minister Shahram Khan Tarakai was opposed to development in Swabi.

The JI has already announced that it will not support the PTI’s move against nazim.

Published in Dawn, February 27th, 2019