Unofficial results: JI edges out rivals in PK-95 to claim victory

Party's candidiate Izazul Mulk Afkari attained first position bagging 18,711 votes

LOWER DIR: As by-elections in PK-95 (Lower Dir-II) constituency of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Assembly come to a close, unofficial results claim Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) has won the seat once again, Express News reported on Thursday.

According to the inconclusive, completed results of all 85 polling stations, Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Lower Dir chief Izazul Mulk Afkari has clinched the first position bagging 18,711 votes, Express News reported.

Awami National Party (ANP) candidate Bahadur Khan claimed the second position in the polling with 16,403 votes.

The seat was vacated by party chief Sirajul Haq as he became a member of the Senate.

Read: Turning up the heat: ANP, JI ready for PK-95 battle

Around 140,743 voters were registered for the aforementioned number of polling stations.



PHOTO AFP

In order to avoid any untoward incident, tight security arrangements were made since the polling began at 8am. The elections are expected to end at 5pm.

The Malakand Board had also postponed intermediate exams scheduled to be held today, while the local government declared the polling as a public holiday in the constituency.

The Pakistan Raah-e-Haq Party (former banned Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan) also fielded a candidate for the by-election.

'No women voters'

Reportedly, none of the women voters in the constituency were allowed to cast their votes, raising a huge question mark on the claims of gender equality and right of womenfolk to express their opinion.