MARDAN: Losing candidates of different political parties have rejected the election results on the Mardan and Gari Kapoora tehsils chairmen slots, and demanded the vote recount.

Speaking at a press conference here on Tuesday, Maulana Amandat Shah Haqqani of JUI-F, Lakhkar Khan of PTI, Asad Ali Kashmiri of PPP and independent Zahir Shah alleged that not only fake votes were polled but also the counting was faulty.

They alleged that the election staff misbehaved with the polling agents of their parties and sent them out of the polling stations before counting of votes. They claimed that the polling staff had finalised the results according to their own choice.

They accused the polling staff of favouring the ANP candidates -- Himayatullah Mayar in Mardan tehsil and Bakhtawar Khan in Gari Kapoora. They pointed out that they had submitted applications with the district returning officer for recounting of votes.

They warned of coming onto the streets if their demands were not met. They said it was beyond understanding that 16,000 votes in Mardan tehsil and 6,000 votes in Gari Kapoora were rejected. They insisted that it was done with the sole purpose of benefiting the ANP candidates.

They also appealed to the Election Commission of Pakistan and Chief Minister Mahmood Khan to look into the matter.

Published in Dawn, December 22nd, 2021