Candidates gear up for second phase of LG polls

29,338 contenders from 18 districts to fight it out

PESHAWAR:

Candidates have begun gearing up for the second phase of the local body elections in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa by addressing corner meetings in a bid to garner the support of voters ahead of the polling day on March 31.

Approximately 29,338 candidates are set to contest for different seats including tehsils and chairman seats in the second phase of the local body polls.

According to the provincial election commission, 651 candidates would try to get elected on the tehsil mayor and chairman seats while 13,331 candidates will contest for the general seats of the village and neighbourhood councils in 18 districts.

Likewise, 3,201 candidates are eying for the women reserved seats, 6,602 for the farmers and peasants’ seats, 5,444 for youth seats and 107 for minorities seats.

It is pertinent to note that the electioneering campaign in Abbottabad, Mansehra, Battagram, Torghar, Upper and Lower Kohistan, Kolai-Palas, Swat, Malakand, Shangla, Lower and Upper Dir, Upper and Lower Chitral, Kurram, Orakzai, and North and South Waziristan districts has gained momentum.

On the other hand, the Election Commission of Pakistan on Tuesday removed large billboards and panaflex in Swat and Shangla districts to ensure implementation of the code of conduct for the second phase of local body polls.

According to the provincial election commission, large sized banners of political parties were also removed in the aforementioned districts.

The action was taken by district monitoring officers with the assistance of the district administration. The move was aimed to ensure implementation of ECP’s code of conduct for the local body elections.

Earlier on Monday, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Hazara Region, Mirwais Niaz, visited Mansehra and chaired a meeting at the DPO Office regarding the provision of foolproof security during second phase of the local body polls.

The DIG had directed District Police Officer (DPO) to initiate a search and strike operation in all areas before the elections commence.

He had said that police should be deployed at every polling station and people should be allowed inside after a complete body search, adding that relevant DSPs and SHOs should carefully monitor the voting process at the polling stations in their area.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 9^th, 2022.