DERA ISMAIL KHAN: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) leader Ali Ameen Gandapur had manhandled female polling staff and police officials in his early morning visit to Himad polling station a day after local government polls were held in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, according to police report.

Gandapur is facing three charges, including snatching ballot boxes from the polling staff in Himad area and threatening them and police deployed there.

According to a copy of a report on the incident prepared by District Police Officer (DPO) Sadiq Baloch, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's revenue minister entered a female polling station in Himad area where he had manhandled Station House Officer of the area police station.

The report mentions Assistant Commissioner City as saying that the provincial minister was intoxicated at the time and had manhandled female polling staff present on the scene.

The DPO stated that upon reaching the spot, Ali Ameen Gandapur had refused to talk to him as well and rushed to his bulletproof car.

Ali Ameen Gandapur's car was then surrounded by an angry mob, who demanded return of ballot boxes and registration of FIR. Announcements were also made in local mosques calling for more people to arrive at the scene.

The guards of the MPA had also resorted to gunfire, the report said.

A female member of the polling staff was also injured by a stray bullet during the scuffle which had broken out as ballot boxes were being taken from the polling station.

Negotiations conducted by Police officials was successful in calming down mob.

Gandapur surrendered himself to the Saddar Police Station on Monday night after high drama and intervention of the central PTI leadership.

Earlier, following the registration of case against him, Ali Ameen had claimed he had not broken any law. He said he went to a polling station after learning about rigging in the counting of votes after the polling time ended.

“At the polling station, I saw our man’s rival candidates rig electoral process, I took away ballot boxes to check rigging,” he said.

Arrests made by KP police

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police has so far arrested 193 persons for sabotaging the recently held local government polls.

According to the initial report released by KP police, it registered cases against 206 persons and has arrested 193 miscreants for disturbing local government elections held on 30 May in the province.

Details reveal that in the provincial capital 49 FIRs were registered and 105 arrests have been made. Moreover, 56 arrests were made in Mardan, 12 persons were arrested in Kohat.