PESHAWAR: Polling time for local government elections in 17 districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has ended and counting of votes is underway.
Polling process continued from 8 am to till 5 pm in Nowshera, Charsadda, Khyber, Mohmand, Mardan, Swabi, Kohat, Karak, Hangu, Bannu, Lakki Marwat, DI Khan, Tank, Haripur, Buner and Bajaur. On the other hand, there were incidents of severe disorder in many places. Workers at polling stations were beaten up, ballot boxes were destroyed and papers were torn by angry political workers.
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ECP postpones polls in Bakakhel over law and order issues
Polling under way in 17 districts for first phase of LG polls
A day before polls, ANP candidate shot killed in DI Khan
At least two people were killed and three others, including a woman, were injured in a firing incident at Takht Nusrati polling station in Karak. Police said that those killed in the firing belonged to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf. In Kohat, a man called Safdar was shot dead by his opponents outside the polling station. In Sheikhan area of Kohat two persons, Tayyab Shah and Aqeel, were injured in firing incident.
In Dara Adamkhel area of Pirwal Khel, protesters attacked the polling station and broke the ballot box. They also set fire to several camps outside the polling station. Similarly, in Peshawar, polling process was stopped in Municipal Inter-college Shahi Bagh due to “invalid” stamp. In Ibrahimabad, there was a clash after men entered the women’s polling stations, while in Shah Alam Tehsil, polling was stopped due to a fight among the workers. There was also clashed in Khyber that disrupted elections for several hours.
Meanwhile, political workers at the Gulbahar polling station in Peshawar lost their temper and broke the ballot box and tore ballot paper, after which the voting process at the polling station was stopped. Despite the ban at polling stations, cameras were used and voters continued to post pictures on social media.
In Lakki Marwat, groups of supporters of two candidates opened fire outside a women’s polling station in Multani area but no casualties were reported after which polling was suspended for some time. Polling has been postponed in Bakakhel Tehsil of Bannu due to poor law and order situation. According to the Election Commission, the DRO Bannu and the District Police Officer reported the unfortunate incidents at some polling stations to the ECP after which the election process was stopped.