Home Dept for postponing Daska by-polls

LAHORE: Punjab home department has requested the Punjab Election Commission to postpone the by-elections in NA-75 Daska, scheduled for April 10, until after the holy month of Ramazan, expressing strong concerns over possible security problems in view of the prevailing tension in the area.

The home department has sent a letter to the Election Commission Wednesday mentioning that the Daska by-elections on February 19 saw bloody violence and exchange of firing between rival groups in which two persons lost their lives while eight others were injured. The violence and other incidents of alleged rigging later forced the Election Commission to declare the by-elections null and void, and announced re-polling in the constituency after the rival candidates moved appeals against alleged rigging. In the letter, the home department said the political tension between the rivals was still seen in the area which could create further problems and also affect the voters’ turnout on April 10. In the letter, the home department feared that workers of rival political parties brought from other areas could again become active on the polling day and create problems for the administration. It said new administration in the area needed more time to bring the situation under control.