Durrani alleges Bannu district admin partial

BANNU: Leader of the opposition in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Akram Khan Durrani on Sunday alleged the deputy commissioner of Bannu had directed the returning officers to ensure the victory of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidates in the upcoming local government election.

Addressing a gathering here, he claimed the deputy commissioner summoned the returning officers to his office and directed them to make sure the candidates of the PTI emerged victorious in the local bodies’ polls by hook or by crook.

The former chief minister asked the Election Commission of Pakistan to take action against the official in question and ensure a free and fair election.

Akram Durrani is a senior leader of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUIF). He served as the chief minister when the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA), an alliance of religiopolitical parties, formed the government in the province after winning the 2002 general election. He alleged that the deputy commissioner ordered the demolition of shops in Bannu city in the name of encroachment.

The JUIF leader added the shopkeepers had lost livelihoods because of the demolition of the shops. He said he had moved the court of law challenging the procedure for holding the local government election.

Akram Durrani added he was seeking the restoration of the district tier in the local bodies’ election. He hoped the PTI would face a humiliating defeat in the local government election as its candidates could not face the voters.

Akram Durrani said the PTI rulers would be voted out in the next polls because of their flawed policies and failing to come up to the expectations of the people. The PTI government, he alleged, was following the Western agenda.