On a day marked by many incidences of violence, the counting of votes in local government elections across 17 districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa began after polls closed at 5 p.m.
Tensions were high in several regions of the province after a series of incidents, including a suicide bombing and a shooting, left at least four people dead and eight more injured. Rockets were also reported to have been sacked.
The first phase of local body voting took place today in 17 districts, including Peshawar, Charsadda, Nowshehra, Mardan, and Peshawar. The second phase will take place at a later date.
Strict security measures have been put in place, with a total of 79,479 police and other law enforcement officials deployed in the voting areas.
Even back then, law and order had been disrupted, and the province’s local government elections had begun with bloodshed.
A suicide bombing in Bajaur’s Mamond tehsil killed at least two individuals and injured six more.
A firing incident outside a polling booth in Karak’s Takht Nusrati tehsil also resulted in the deaths of two individuals and the injuries of three more.
A cousin of PTI MNA Shahid Khattak and a gunman were among the dead, according to authorities. Following the event, polling was halted.
Polling stations set ablaze in Darra Adam Khel
In Darra Adam Khel, groups of people opposed to the tribal districts merging set fire to polling stations and votes, stealing some ballot boxes in the process.
Women’s polling station attacked in Nowshera
According to local news media, a women’s polling station in Nowshera’s Mir Misri Banda region was targeted during election time.
District Police Officer Imran Khan told media that an independent councillor candidate, Muzzaffar Khan, and several of his supporters attacked the venue. Six ballot boxes were shattered, votes were torn up, and some votes were taken with them.
The DPO stated that a complaint has been filed against the candidate and 150 others, and that attempts are being made to apprehend the perpetrators.
Baka Khel polls halted after rigging allegations
In addition, the polling process in the Baka Khel tehsil of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bannu district was halted due to law and order issues.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) indicated in a statement that the new polling date in Baka Khel would be announced later.
Akram Khan Durrani, the Leader of the Opposition in the KP Assembly, accused a PTI provincial minister of invading five polling stations in Baka Khel and kidnapping polling personnel.
Durrani said that provincial minister Shah Muhammad Khan kidnapped poll workers from five polling locations and took the election materials with them.
He said that the kidnapped poll workers are being held “near a petrol station.”
Durrani also accused Khan of shooting police officers. He said that the relevant deputy commissioner and district police officer had been informed of the situation, but that the administration was powerless to intervene.
DIK mayoral elections postponed
After ANP candidate Mohammad Umar Khattab was shot dead on Saturday, voting for the mayor of Dera Ismail Khan municipal council was postponed.
Following the event, security in DIK and the surrounding areas was upgraded.
