Election security: PPP candidates ask ECP to declare NA-1 sensitive

Threatening pamphlets distributed; party workers injured.

PESHAWAR:

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) on Friday asked the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to declare all polling stations in NA-1 sensitive and deploy the army to maintain peace and security on Election Day.

Addressing a press conference at the Peshawar Press Club, PPP candidate for NA-1 Zulfiqar Afghani condemned the killing of a PPP worker earlier this week. He alleged some political parties are trying to keep PPP candidates away from campaigning and are distributing threatening pamphlets and resorting to violence against the party’s activists.

PPP worker Fahim Khan was killed when a gunfight broke out during a clash with Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) activists in PK-1 on Thursday over putting up posters in Ghareebabad area. Four others were also injured in the incident.

Requesting the district administration and ECP to provide security to PPP activists, Afghani claimed PPP workers in NA-1, PK-1, PK-2 and PK-3 have been threatened through pamphlets and have been told to remove the party’s campaign material posted on their homes and streets.

PPP candidate for PK-1 Muhammad Akbar Khan was also present at the press conference.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 4^th, 2013.