PESHAWAR: All is set to hold the second stage of the local government elections in 18 districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa amid tight security to avoid any untoward incident.
More security has been provided to the polling stations that have been declared sensitive and most sensitive. A total of 28,020 candidates are in the run for different categories in the polls.
As many as 651 contenders are contesting for 65 slots of mayor and chairmen tehsil councils, 12,980 are flexing muscles for general councillors, 2,668 for women councillors, 6451 for peasant councillors, 5213 for youth councillors while 57 were in run for the seats of minorities councillors.
According to Haroon Shinwari, the spokesperson for the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), the polling material had been provided to the polling stations in the 18 districts. A total of 6,176 polling stations have been set up in the second phase, out of which 2,326 polling stations have been declared sensitive while 1646 as most sensitive.
Adequate security arrangements have been made for the sensitive and most sensitive polling stations across the province. The ECP had expressed concern over the law and order at different polling stations during the first phase in December last year after which the security was further upgraded.
A total of 8.057 million voters will cast their votes in the second and last phase of the LG polls in the remaining 18 districts, including Abbottabad, Mansehra, Battagram, Torghar, Upper and Lower Kohistan, Kolai-Palas, Swat, Malakand, Shangla, Lower and Upper Dir, Upper and Lower Chitral, Kurram, Orakzai, and North and South Waziristan districts.
The LG elections are being held for the first time in the erstwhile tribal districts of Kurram, Orakzai, North and South Waziristan. According to an official, 35 general councillors, 533 women councillors, 151 peasant councillors, 233 youth councillors and 50 minorities councillors have been elected unopposed.
More violation of the code of conduct was reported from different political parties during the election campaign in the second phase. Those involved in violations included 36 public office holders, 16 parliamentarians and 86 candidates.
According to the ECP, action was taken for 87 violations by leaders and candidates of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, 10 by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, eight each by Jamaat-e-Islami and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl, four by Pakistan People’s Party, nine by independent candidates and 28 by other political parties.
A total of Rs1.87 million fine was imposed on 49 politicians and candidates, including Prime Minister Imran Khan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan for violating the code of conduct.
The PM was fined Rs50,000 each for four times for holding public meeting in Lower Dir on March 11, Swat on March 16, Malakand on March 20 and holding a gathering in Mansehra on March 25. Chief Minister Mahmood Khan was fined five times while KP Governor Shah Farman, Sindh Governor Imran Ismail, KP Assembly Speaker Mushtaq Ghani, federal ministers Asad Umar, Pervez Khattak, Azam Swati, Murad Saeed, Ali Zaidi were also among those fined for addressing public meetings in violation of the election code of conduct.