SHANGLA: Two Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf workers were killed and 12 others injured when the police opened fire during a protest demonstration held in the district headquarters, Alpuri, here on Friday against alleged manipulation of the poll results.

According to deputy medical superintendent of the District Headquarters Hospital, Alpuri, Dr Sajjad Khan two bodies and 12 injured were brought to the facility. He said the deceased were identified as Mohammad Hassan, 16 and Mohsin Ali, 21, residents of Aloch Puran.

Dr Sajjad said five injured were later shifted to a hospital in Swat in critical condition. However, he added rest of the injured had been discharged from the hospital after treatment.

He said both the deceased had received bullets in their heads, which caused their instant death. He added bodies would be handed over to relatives after autopsy.

Party activists also stage protests in Peshawar, Bajaur, Lakki and Bannu against ‘rigging’

However, Rescue 1122 spokesperson Rasool Khan Sharif told Dawn that three persons died in the clash. He said one of the deceased, Mohammad Hassan, was the grandson of former provincial minister and MPA-elect from PK-29, Abdul Munim.

The protest was sparked after alleged manipulation in the results of NA-11, PK-28 and PK-29.

Speaking to the protesters, PTI-backed candidate for NA-11 Said Fareen claimed he had Form-45 of all the polling stations, according to which, he was leading with over 6,000 votes against his rival, PML-N’s Amir Muqam. However, he alleged despite their requests, the district returning officer neither allowed them to enter his office nor did he provide them with the Form-47 till Friday afternoon.

Mr Fareen claimed his two sons, Sadar Rehman and Bisham tehsil chairman Sadeedur Rehman, were missing after they asked for provision of the Form-47.

The clash between the protesters and the police erupted after the enraged PTI activists started shouting slogans and stopped a car, which they claimed was carrying the fake Form-45.

The protesters also torched a jeep with government number plate. The police opened indiscriminate fire at the protesters, which was also filmed and shared on social media. According to Form-47, PML-N leader Amir Muqam got 59,863 votes against Said Fareen’s 54,311 votes.

In Peshawar, a large number of PTI workers staged a sit-in on the Charsadda Road against alleged rigging and change of results of their candidates. They alleged officials of the election commission changed results of one national and seven provincial seats.

A PTI leader told Dawn that according to Form-45 provided by the polling staff to their polling agents, the PTI candidates had won the PK-72, PK-73, PK-74, PK-75, PK-78, PK79, PK-80, PK-82 and NA-20 seats. However, he alleged when the ECP released the Form-47, all of them were shown defeated by the candidates of other parties.

Those who addressed the protesters included Kamran Bangash, Taimur Saleem Jhagra, Malik Shahab, Asim Khan, Arbab Jandad, Ali Zamand Advocate and Sajid Nawaz Khan.

They demanded of the ECP to recount the polled votes in light of the figures shown in the Form-45. On the above seats, they alleged the ECP has declared the winner those candidates, who were on third and fourth number in Form-47.

In Bajaur, PTI workers staged a demonstration against the alleged changes in the election results of two provincial assembly seats.

Beside the PTI workers, scores of activists of other parties also attended the demonstration held in the Civil Colony, Khar.

The protesters pointed out that PTI-backed candidates – Anwarzeb Khan and Ajmal Khan – were leading in several polling stations in PK-20 and PK-21, respectively. However, they alleged both the candidates were declared the runner-up by the returning officers.

They termed the decision unacceptable and demanded of the returning officers to declare the final results of both the constituencies as per the Form-45.

In Lakki Marwat, thousands of PTI workers gathered outside the main gate of the District Headquarters Complex, Tajazai, on Friday to protest the delay in announcement of poll results.

The PTI activists reached the DHQ Complex housing the offices of returning officers in vehicles and remained there till the afternoon.

PTI central vice-president and candidate for NA-41 Sher Afzal Marwat and other aspirants Tariq Saeed and Malik Noor Salim also visited the complex building to get themselves acquainted about the consolidated results.

Another independent aspirant, Dr Hisham Inamullah Khan backed by Marwat Qaumi Ittehad, also showed up to get unofficial results of his provincial assembly constituency.

The protesting workers raised slogans in favour of PTI’s founder and former premier Imran Khan and the poll aspirants backed by his party. They demanded immediate release of the election results for the national and provincial assembly seats.

Police and Frontier Constabulary personnel were deployed at the main gate and inside the DHQ Complex to avert any untoward incident.

In Bannu, PTI workers staged a sit-in on the Bannu-Miranshah Road and at Regal Cinema Chowk against the alleged manipulation of election results. They raised slogans against local administration, alleging the poll results of candidates backed by PTI were changed.

Kakki tehsil council chairman Junaid Rashid, Malik Adnan Khan and Malik Shah Mohammad spoke on the occasion.

They claimed the poll aspirants backed by PTI had won one National Assembly and four provincial assembly seats, but the results of provincial assembly seat winners had been changed.

They said Bannu was a PTI stronghold and that they won’t allow anyone to steal their mandate. Also on Friday, Sher Afzal, in a video message, said he was leaving Lakki district for two days over security concerns. He asked the people not to bother to visit his residence in Lakki city for two days.

The PTI leader said after two days he would visit his voters to thank them for their support.

Published in Dawn, February 10th, 2024