LAKKI MARWAT: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s Bannu chapter has announced to halt its protest campaign against the alleged poll rigging till the outcome of the petitions filed by its election candidates with the Election Commission of Pakistan against ‘skewed’ results.

The announcement was made at a jirga held in Jan Kallay Surani area on Sunday with Malik Adnan Khan, candidate for PK-102, Bannu-IV, in the chair.

PTI leaders, local elders and residents also participated.On the occasion,Malik Adnan said PTI leaders and workers had continued successful agitation against poll ‘rigging’ at various places in the district for 10 days.

“Now the protest has been halted on the request of religious scholars and traders keeping in view the troubles faced by the general public,” he maintained.

Other speakers, including Malik Hikmatyar, Naseer Ali Shah, former district councillor Malik Shakil, Iqbal Jadoon, Malik Dil Nawaz, Malik Sharif and Waqar Khan, also spoke on the occasion.

Malik Adnan alleged that polling personnel affiliated with Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl were deployed in polling stations in connivance with former chief minister Akram Durrani to prepare results in favour of him.

He said he was leading on all polling stations except one with a margin of 7,000 votes but in the morning, the results were changed and his victory was turned into defeat.

“The polling personnel changed the result in relevant election forms to show a high number of votes polled in favour of his rival contender,” he claimed.

Other speakers said that the returning officers were responsible for ‘record rigging’ on two provincial assembly constituencies – PK-101, Bannu-III, and PK-102, Bannu-IV.

They warned that the government officials involved in tampering with results would not be spared.

BOY DROWNS: A boy drowned in the Marwat canal in Tajori town of Lakki Marwat on Sunday.

A Rescue 1122 official said that the boy identified as Umar Farooq, 5, was playing along the canal when he fell into it. He said that a rescue team rushed to the place and retrieved the body from the canal.

Later, the deceased was shifted to a local hospital for completing formalities.

Published in Dawn, February 19th, 2024