ISLAMABAD: The Election Com­mission of Pakistan (ECP) on Wednesday issued notices to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Transport Shah Mohammad Khan and his brother and son over polling station violence in Bannu.

An ECP bench headed by Chief Election Commis­sioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja was informed that the minister was directly involved in the violence.

The nench was hearing a case relating to attacks on polling stations and abduction of polling staff in Bakakhel town of Bannu district during the recent local government polls.

The district returning officer (DRO), returning officer (RO) and Bannu District Police Officer Shahid Imran were present during the hearing.

Kamran Murtaza, the counsel for Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI-F), said the provincial minister along with armed men had fled the polling station with polling material.

JUI-F counsel tells ECP the minister had fled the polling station with election material

“The provincial minister, his brother and son are directly involved in polling violence,” he alleged.

The counsel said the police had registered a first information report (FIR) against unidentified individuals instead of the minister and his brother.

Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja said it was a serious matter which would be taken to its logical conclusion.

“If any government official is involved, action will be taken against him. If anyone tries to save the accused, he will not be spared,” he added.

Reprimanding DPO Imran, the CEC wondered what could be worse than polling staff being abducted.

“Abducting women from polling stations is a very serious matter,” Mr Raja said.

When the CEC asked the RO if he had gone to the scene, the latter responded that he could not as he was alone in his office and the route was dangerous.

In response to a question about security arrangements and whether it was a ‘no-go area’, DPO Imran said these polling stations had been declared sensitive and a request for 400 security personnel made, but only 300 personnel were provided.

He said that no one was allowed to go to the sensitive polling stations without security personnel.

The DPO said that 18 people had been arrested so far while some could not be apprehended.

The CEC adjourned the hearing till December 28.

The elections were held in 17 districts of KP on Sunday in the first phase of local government polls in the province. The elections were marred by various incidents of violence.

The ruling PTI suffered a major setback after the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl’s candidate won the seat for the coveted post of Peshawar mayor in the first local government elections held in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa since the merger of tribal districts.

The first phase of local government polls, marred by scattered incidents of violence and attacks that clai-med five lives and damage to some polling stations, was held on Sunday in 66 tehsils of 17 districts after a gap of six years.

The polling in Swabi, Bannu and Darra Adam Khel was postponed due to disturbances, including a suicide bombing in Bajaur, abduction of polling staff in Bannu, a clash in Karak and a mob attack on Minister Shibli Faraz’s vehicle in Kohat.

In all, 12.668 million voters — seven million male and five and a half million female — were registered for the polls in Buner, Bajaur, Swabi, Peshawar, Nowshera, Kohat, Karak, Dera Ismail Khan, Bannu, Tank, Haripur, Khyber, Mohmand, Mardan, Charsadda, Hangu and Lakki Marwat.

The local government elections were held for the first time in Khyber, Mohmand and Bajaur districts of the erstwhile Fata.

Published in Dawn, December 23rd, 2021