Prime Minister Imran Khan has congratulated Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) Chief Minister Mahmood Khan and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) "for their overwhelming success in the second phase of local government elections in the province".

In a tweet on Friday, the PM said KPK has "emphatically rejected the traitors who sold out to foreign masters."

"This is an early warning to all traitors of what awaits them in their constituencies," he added.

As per unofficial and unconfirmed results of 30 tehsil councils, PTI has so far grabbed 13 tehsils seats, the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) five and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) won two seats, it was reported on Friday.

Polling for the second phase of local bodies election in 18 districts of KPK commenced on Thursday.

As per the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), a total of 28,020 candidates are contesting different seats in Mansehra, Abbottabad, Battagram, Torghar, Swat, Malakand, Kohistan Upper, Kohistan Lower, Kolai Palas Kohistan, Shangla, Lower Dir, Upper Dir, Chitral Upper, Chitral Lower, Kurram, Orakzai, North Waziristan and South Waziristan.

KPK local bodies election: Polling for second phase underway

Meanwhile, there are a total of 651 candidates in the run for city mayor and tehsil chairman seats. More than 12,000 are contesting for general seats of village and neighbourhood councils while 2,668 candidates are in the race for women seats.