Re-polling in Bannu, South Waziristan comes to an end

ISLAMABAD/ BANNU: Re-polling at four polling stations of PK-71, three polling stations of PK-72 Bannu and four polling stations of NA-41 South Waziristan Agency that took place on Tuesday has come to an end.


Voters in sufficient numbers came to elect their representatives for the parliament. The polling stations reported a voter turnout of 25%. The re-polling in these constituencies started at 8:00am amid tight security and ended at 5:00pm. The process of counting the votes is now underway.

The ECP had withheld the results of the said two provincial assembly constituencies over complaints of firing and suspension of polling in these seven polling stations and ordered re-polling there.

The decision of re-polling on four polling stations in NA-41 South Waziristan was taken a few days ago by the ECP after receiving reports from the political agent/district returning officer of South Waziristan requesting for re-poll there due to alleged irregularities.

According to officials of regional election office Bannu, the total registered voters in the four polling stations of PK-71 are 8,347 voters including males and females for whom polling stations have been setup at Govt Primary School Totka Dad Khan, Govt primary school Mir Payan Murghali, Govt High School Qamar Kalli and Govt Girls Middle School Muhammad Noorpathokhyel.

Voters in queues waited for their turn in these polling stations to cast their votes.

Polling also went on in three polling stations of PK-72 including Nawab Narmikhel girls high school, Gul Zali Bakakhel and Kotka Allah Dad respectively.

According to the Election Commission officials here, as many as 4,392 men and women would cast their votes in PK-72.

Foolproof security measures were made by police for protection of voters.

Tough competition

As many as 10 candidates are in the run for election on PK-71 where tough contest is expected between Awami National Party's Taimur Baz, Pakistan People's Party's Fakhre Azam advocate and JUI-F's Qari Gul Azeem.

On PK-72, 19 candidates are trying their luck where potential candidates are JUI-F's Syed Hamid Shah and independent Malik Shah Mohammad Khan.

Meanwhile, re-polling at four polling stations on NA-41 Tribal Area-VI (South Waziristan) also went on amid tight security.

The re-polling at polling stations No 32, 37, 57 and 59 of NA-41 Tribal Area-VI (South Waziristan) has also come to an end. On NA-41 South Waziristan, as many as 38 candidates are in the run including Ajab Gul Wazir of PTI, Maulana Abdul Malik Wazir of JUI_F.

The candidates' supporters had setup polling booths outside polling stations for education and information of young voters. The supporters of candidates hired public transport to bring voters from far flung areas to polling stations.

The Khsadar Force had made tough security arrangements there for protection of voters.

ECP orders re-polling in Battagram

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has ordered re-election in two polling stations of PK-60 Battagram as women there were barred from voting on May 11, Express News reported on Tuesday.

It was earlier reported that political parties in the area had unofficially agreed to bar women from voting in the general elections.

The ECP received complaints against the agreement between the political parties and was asked to declare election results in the constituency as null and void.

The commission took notice of the incident and ordered re-polling.