General Elections
Responding to instances of electoral malpractice and disruptions in the recent general elections, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has ordered a repoll in various constituencies nationwide. The affected areas include National Assembly constituency NA-88 Khushab, Sindh Assembly constituency PS-18 Ghotki, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly’s PK-90 Kohat. Additionally, NA-253 Harnai-cum-Sibbi-cum-Kohlu-cum-Dera Bugti and Balochistan’s PB-09 Kohlu are scheduled for a re-poll tomorrow.
Commencing at 8 am in NA-88 Khushab, voters from 26 polling stations have the opportunity to cast their ballots until 5 pm. The decision for repolling followed an unfortunate incident on February 8, where miscreants maliciously set a ballot box and records on fire in the RO office. IPP’s Gul Asghar Khan is contesting against independent candidate Ikram Niazi in this constituency, which has been declared a red zone by the DPO, necessitating heavy police and army deployment and declaring a local holiday.
In PS-18 Obaro of Ghotki, repolling is underway at two polling stations, 161 and 162, due to ballot box theft during polling on February 8. Independent candidate Jam Mehtab Dahar leads with 56,285 votes, closely followed by PPP candidate Shahryar Khan Shar with 54,705 votes. Despite the setback, citizens are actively participating in the electoral process, with around 300 police personnel ensuring security.
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Kohat district, polling is ongoing in 25 stations of the PK-90 constituency. Independent candidate Aftab Alam competes against PPP’s Amjad Afridi in a tense atmosphere following vandalism and arson attacks on polling stations in Dara Adam Khel on February 8.
Preparations are underway for repolling tomorrow in seven stations of NA-253 and PB-09 Kohlu, with strict security measures enforced. Independent candidate Mian Khan Bugti leads in NA-253, while in PB-07 Kohlu, independent candidate Nawabzada Ghazian supports his brother Nawab Jangez Marri.
PPP’s Mir Naseebullah Marri leads with 5,888 votes, with PML-N’s Jangez Marri obtaining 2,479 votes. As repolling progresses, stakeholders and citizens anticipate a fair and transparent process, with the Election Commission closely monitoring to uphold democratic principles in Pakistan.
