Mardan - MARDAN: A tough contest is expected between Awami National Party (ANP), JUI-F and PTI candidates for Mardan tehsil’s mayor election. 

Eleven candidates including ANP’s Himayatullah Mayar, Maulana Amant Shah of JUI-F, PTI candidate Lakhkar Khan, Asad Ali Kashmiri of PPP, Mustaq Seemab of JI, PML-N’s Syed Inayat Shah Bacha, independent candidate Zahir Shah (president of Markazi Tanzeem Tajiran-Zahir Shah group), Kaleemullah Toru (independent) who is president of PTI Sports and Cultural Wing Mardan rural, Jalilal-ul-Mulak, brother of Maulana Shuja-ul-Mulak former provincial general secretary of JUI-F, Anwar Shah and Asif Khan.  

However, tough contest is expected between ANP, JUI-F and PTI candidates. For Takhatbhai tehsil chairman seven candidates are contesting election. They include Nasir Khan son of former MPA Bahadur Khan from ANP, Mumtaz Khan from PML-N, Mohammad Khawar Khan son of former provincial minister Iftikhar Mohmand from PTI, Aurungzeb Khan from PPP, Mohammad Saeed from JUI-F, Mazullah Khan from JI and Ayaz Ali Khan as independent candidate.  

However, real contest is expected between PML-N, JUI-F, ANP and PTI for the slot of chairman tehsil Takhatbhai.  For Katlang tehsil chairman’s slot, nine candidates are in the run. Emadullah Yousafzai from JUI-F, Fazl-e-Rehman from ANP, Mohammad Aziz from PPP, Zarshad Khan from PTI, Samar Khan from PML-N, Saed Kamal from QWP, Ali Abass Khan from JI and Layiq Nawaz and Sartaj Khan are contesting election as independent candidates.  However, top contest is expected between JUI-F, ANP and PTI. 

For the chairman of Ghari Kapura tehsil, seven candidates are contesting election. They include Bakhtawar Khan from ANP, Shah Faisal Khan from PTI, Mohammad Ayaz from JUI-F and Asad Jamal from JI while Akhtar Ali, Mohammad Arshid and Mohammad Naeem will contest election as independent candidates.  However, tough contest is expected between ANP, JUI-F and PTI candidates.  

For Rustm tehsil chairman’s slot six candidates are contesting election including Muzaffar Shah from PTI, Ishaq Khan from ANP, Akhtar Nawaz Khan from PML-N, Ayub Khan from PPP, Sajad Saed from JI, Mubarik Ahmed from JUI-F. Real contest is expected between JUI-F, PPP, PTI and ANP candidates.  

The Election Commission has established 1051 polling stations to hold the polls. Some 105 women candidates, 17 minority candidates, 35 worker candidates and 25 youth candidates have been elected unopposed on different village councils and neighbourhood councils. Total registered voters in Mardan district are 143,5909 including 805,735 male voters and 630,171 female voters. However, real contest is expected between PML-N, JUI-F, ANP and PTI for the slot of chairman tehsil Takhatbhai.  For Katlang tehsil chairman’s slot, nine candidates are in the run. Emadullah Yousafzai from JUI-F, Fazl-e-Rehman from ANP, Mohammad Aziz from PPP, Zarshad Khan from PTI, Samar Khan from PML-N, Saed Kamal from QWP, Ali Abass Khan from JI and Layiq Nawaz and Sartaj Khan are contesting election as independent candidates.  However, top contest is expected between JUI-F, ANP and PTI. 

For the chairman of Ghari Kapura tehsil, seven candidates are contesting election. They include Bakhtawar Khan from ANP, Shah Faisal Khan from PTI, Mohammad Ayaz from JUI-F and Asad Jamal from JI while Akhtar Ali, Mohammad Arshid and Mohammad Naeem will contest election as independent candidates.  However, tough contest is expected between ANP, JUI-F and PTI candidates.  

For Rustm tehsil chairman’s slot six candidates are contesting election including Muzaffar Shah from PTI, Ishaq Khan from ANP, Akhtar Nawaz Khan from PML-N, Ayub Khan from PPP, Sajad Saed from JI, Mubarik Ahmed from JUI-F. Real contest is expected between JUI-F, PPP, PTI and ANP candidates.