By: Qasim Nawaz Abbasi
PESHAWAR: Independent Samiullah Khan has won the Haripur seat in the local government polls of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). PTI’s Akhtar Nawaz followed in at the second position who also served as district Nazim, and had the support of Ayub Brothers – federal minister Omar Ayub Khan, provincial minister Arshad Ayub Khan and his brother MPA Akbar Ayub Khan.
Being the youngest among all the contenders, independent Samiullah Khan is an educated scion of the Utmanzai tribe of Khalabat Township. His vote bank relied on his paternal uncle and two-time MPA Gohar Nawaz Khan, and his first cousin, former PML-N MNA Babar Nawaz Khan, as he claims the two former lawmakers had launched many development projects in Haripur during their tenures.
Babar Nawaz is also playing the PML-N’s card in support of his cousin Samiullah despite the fact that his party has nominated Sardar Haroon ur Rasheed, brother of former PML-N MNA Sardar Mushtaq, as party’s candidate, ignoring his (Babar Nawaz’s) request.
Raja Usama Sarwar, Senior Vice President PML-N Rawalpindi and a close aide of Samiullah Khan while talking to TD said that PML-N believes in the power of youth and after the results of local government elections it is imperative for the party to award tickets to new faces and specially youngsters in the upcoming elections.