Violent balloting: PTI postpones elections in three districts

Activists tore ballot boxes, smashed windows.

PESHAWAR:

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s intra-party district elections were postponed after fights broke out between party activists in districts Peshawar, Mardan and Charsadda.

In Peshawar, activists forcefully entered polling booths and tore ballot boxes. As tensions heightened, local leaders left the venue where polling for 47 party positions at district and town level was ongoing.

Workers at PTI’s Mardan election commission said some activists broke windows and opened fire. The party’s district Chief Election Commissioner Sabz Ali registered an FIR against PTI’s student wing, Insaf Student Federation’s (ISF) leader Riaz Afridi and four others. They have been accused of sabotaging the election process.

It was also reported that a brawl broke out between PTI’s former information secretary Riaz Paenda Khel and candidate for the tehsil’s president, Shahrukh in a police station.



In Charsadda, where the party has split among two groups, the polling was halted when supporters of different candidates had a fight.

When PTI Provincial spokesperson Shah Farman was asked about the disputes, he said it was a case of ‘mismanagement’ on the district election commission’s side and refrained from commenting further on internal rifts within the party.

“On my directives, an FIR has been registered against those involved in the violence,” said PTI’s Provincial Chief Election Commissioner Qazi Anwar, adding the membership of party workers involved will soon be suspended.

He further said action will be taken by the central Election Commission once written complaints are received from affected districts.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 30^th, 2013.