1,900 cops deployed for PK-71 by-election

PESHAWAR: Over 1,900 policemen were deployed so that the by-poll on PK-71 could be held peacefully in the provincial capital on Sunday.

No untoward incident was reported during the polling.

The by-poll in the constituency was held after the seat was vacated by a leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Shah Farman after being appointed as governor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Capital City Police Officer Qazi Jamilur Rehman and Senior Superintendent of Police (Operations) Javed Iqbal visited polling stations in the constituency to review the security arrangements.

Talking to reporters, the CCPO said 1,900 policemen have been deployed for the security during the by-poll. He said about 51 polling stations had been declared most sensitive and 31 sensitive in the wake of threats.

A police official said that four terrorists, who were held in an operation in Shamshatoo, told during investigation that they had planned sabotage activities during the by-election in PK-71.

Security was upgraded in and around 86 polling stations as well as other places in PK-71.

The PTI had awarded ticket to Zulfiqar Khan, the brother of Governor Shah Farman, while Salahuddin Mohmand was contesting the by-election on the ticket of ANP. All opposition parties were supporting the ANP candidate to defeat the ruling PTI in the by-election.

Associated with gemstones business, Zulfiqar Khan was contesting the election for the first time.

And Salahuddin Mohmand had quit the PTI and joined the ANP after developing differences with the party. Another dissident PTI worker, Dildar Khan, was also contesting the election in independent capacity after the party preferred Zulfiqar Khan for the award of the ticket.

Some PTI workers said that Dildar Khan’s decision to contest the by-election as independent candidate would affect the votes of Zulfiqar Khan.