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BANNU: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Sunday postponed the local body elections in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s (K-P) Tehsil Baka Khel to poor law and order situation.
According to a statement, Deputy Commissioner Bannu and District Police Officer Bannu have reported the incident of abduction of police personnel, polling staff (including females) and snatching of different polling bags/materials at different polling stations of Tehsil Baka Khel.
The deputy commissioner and district police officer further maintained that “the situation warrants the postponement of polling process” in the Tehsil, until the law-and-order situation is reestablished.
The ECP stated that the chief secretary of the government of K-P endorsed these recommendations. A spokesperson for the ECP said that the rule of law must be ensured and that “voters will be given the full right to exercise their voting right.”
“Legal action will be taken without any discrimination on any violation of law,” the spokesperson added. The ECP also formed a fact-finding inquiry committee to probe the incident and submit a report to the commission within seven days.
K-P LG polls commence
Voting began at 8 am on Sunday during the local government elections in 17 districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa amid tight security arrangements.
During the elections, 77,000 policemen and law-enforcement personnel will be deployed outside polling stations and booths for the security of voters. Quick Response Force’s personnel would also be deployed to ‘nearby areas of responsibility’ for responding to any untoward situation during elections.
The elections for the slot of mayor city council Dera Ismail Khan were postponed after the death of Awami National Party’s candidate, Mohammad Umar Khitab, in an attack on Saturday. Security in DIK and other districts was upgraded after the incident.
