PESHAWAR: The first ever provincial elections in tribal districts were held in peaceful atmosphere with few minor incidents in which independent candidates are leading on six seats, while the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leads on four seats.

Elections for 16 general seats of tribal districts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly were held on Saturday in which a large number of people came to cast their votes. However, women’s turnout was low in some areas as they were barred from voting under the tribal traditions and in some places they deliberately opted not to vote.

According to unofficial results, independent candidates were leading on six seats, PTI candidates were leading on four seats, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) and Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) were leading on two seats each and the Awami National Party (ANP) was leading on one seat. The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) and other parties did not get any seat.

Unofficial and temporary results show that independent candidate Shafiq Afridi won PK-105, Khyber district seat by securing 18,024 votes. Another independent candidate Bilawal Afridi was in the lead on PK-106, while former minister Hameedullah Jan Afridi was leading on PK-107, Khyber seat. Independent candidate Jameel Khan was leading on PK-108, Kurram followed by the JUI-F candidate, while Ghazi Ghazan Jamal was winning from PK-110, Orakzai.

The PTI candidates were leading on PK-100, Bajaur, PK-109, Kurram, PK-111, North Waziristan and PK-114, South Waziristan.

The JI candidates Sahibzada Haroonur Rasheed and Sirajuddin Khan were leading on PK-101 and PK-102, Bajaur. The ANP candidate Nisar Mohmand was having a narrow lead on PK-103, Mohmand followed by the PTI candidate. The JUI-F candidates were leading in PK-104, Mohmand and PK-113, South Waziristan seats.

The JUI-F candidate Shoaib Khan Afridi was leading on PK-115 seat of former frontier regions.

The elections were held mainly in peaceful atmosphere amid tight security cover provided by the Pakistan Army and other security agencies. Most people in Darra Adamkhel did not vote in protest against merger of erstwhile Fata with KP. However, in other parts of the tribal districts the turnout was good. However, women’s turnout remained low in most parts of tribal districts.