RAWALPINDI: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) candidate Munir Ahmed was elected unopposed as Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) Vice President.

He is the brother-in-law of PML-N Divisional President Malik Abrar.

PML-N won seven seats in the cantonment board’s election and two seats were won by independent candidates while election on one ward was cancelled as the candidate died during the election campaign.

The independent candidates also belonged to PML-N in previous tenure. However, PML-N did not give ticket to them so they contested the election as independent candidates.

The PML-N elected members are: Hafiz Hussain Ahmed Malik, Chaudhry Shakur Gujjar, Malik Amjad Ali, Malik Mansoor Afsar, Rasheed Khan, Arshad Qureshi, Malik Munir, Saghir Ahmed (Labour seat) and Khurram Gil (Minority seat).

Haji Zafar Iqbal and Malik Usman are independent members and decided to sit on opposition benches.

Ruling PTI could not get a single seat in Rawalpindi Cantonment Board elections, though it got one seat in National Assembly and two in provincial assembly in 2018 elections. Former federal minister for national health services Amir Mehmood Kiani is sitting MNA from cantonment areas.

Special Board meeting of Rawalpindi Cantonment Board was presided over by Station Commander Brigadier Salman Nazar. RCB officials were also present on the occasion.

Before the election of Vice President, RCB President and Station Commander Brigadier Salman Nazar administered oath of office to Malik Saghir Ahmed and Khurram Gill who had been elected on Labour and Minority seats respectively.

As many as 12 members from military and civil bureaucracy nominated by Station Commander also attended the meeting.

The board has 24 members-- 12 elected and 12 nominated.

The meeting also approved development schemes presented by the members on the basis of equitable distribution of funds of Rs200 million in 10 wards.

Published in Dawn, December 1st, 2021