KOHAT, May 15: The supporters of Jawad Hassain, a losing candidate from NA-39 Orakzai Agency, blocked here the other day the Kohat-Hangu Highway for about five hours at Kacha Pakha against alleged rigging in the constituency.

The protesters accused Dr Ghazi Gulab Jamal of committing fraud to grab the seat, and demanded re-election. Dr Gulab won the seat in 2002, while Jawad Hussain in 2008 elections.

The Sunni Supreme Council, meanwhile, staged a protest in front of offices of the commissioner and DIG, Kohat division, demanding registration of case against the protesters for blocking the road. They said the protest was staged because candidate belonging to a certain sect had been elected from the seat.

The Ustarzai police said FIR had been registered against the unknown protesters on the orders of high ups. The authorities opened the road after negotiating with the protesters.

RESIGNS: Syed Saeed Shah Bokahri, the ANP Kohat district president, has resigned from basic membership of the party on ‘moral grounds’. His wife, Khursheed Begum, who remained MNA since 2008, and was a candidate in the elections, also resigned from the party.

Mr Bokahri, who was a candidate for NA-14, told a press conference he resigned on moral grounds after the ANP had suffered defeat in the whole country due to its ‘wrong policies’. He said the party deviated from the basic principles, which were to help the downtrodden and those affected by the war on terror.

ELECTION DATE: The IDPs belonging to Kurram Agency have rejected the date announced by the political administration for holding the elections on the NA-38 within 10 days. They said more than 100,000 affected people would be unable to cost the vote in such a limited time due to precarious law and order.

Meanwhile, PML-N candidate from NA-38 Naveed Ahmed Khan speaking to journalists at Kohat Press Club said the Election Commission while postponing the elections in volatile Kurram Agency had announced to hold the polls in July. He accused the political administration of making bids to hold the elections within 10 days to support a particular candidate.

The IDPs said recently curfew had been imposed in the area after a bomb blast and now the administration was claiming that atmosphere was conducive for elections.

ABSENT TEACHERS: The elders have demanded staff at the girls primary school, Chakar Kot Bala, where two teachers are on French leave for last five months. They alleged the female teachers, Qaiser Khatoon and Asma Hamayun, were drawing salary at home with the connivance of education department.

Addressing a press conference, the elders regretted that they had moved applications to the executive education officer, female, several times but no action had been taken against the school administration. —Correspondent