Islamabad: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has said that returning officer fears alteration in results of 20 polling stations in Daska (NA-75) and therefore, it is not possible to release unofficial result of by-polls without full inquiry.

The electoral body, in a statement, said the results of NA-75 by-elections were unnecessarily delayed and Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) tried to contact Inspector General Police (IGP) Punjab, Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner to know whereabouts of the missing presiding officers but did not get any response from all three officers.

The statement added that a contact was made with Chief Secretary at 3:00 am in the morning who assured to trace the missing officials and polling bags but he was also unavailable after that. Around 6am, the presiding officers resurfaced along with polling bags.

ECP, while ruling out the possibility to release unofficial result without full inquiry into the incident, said that the district returning officer and returning officer are sending a report to the commission and provincial election commissioner.

Moreover, joint provincial election commissioner has been directed to reach office of returning officers, the statement concluded.

It is pertinent to mention here that the returning officer in NA-75 Daska has on Saturday had withheld by-poll result after fears of alterations in results were reported by returning officer.

As per sources, PML-N candidate is leading the vote count in National Assembly constituency NA-75-Daska, but final result will be announced by Election Commission of Pakistan.

Daska’s constituency remained under spotlight throughout the previous day due to intermittent violence, firing and clashes between police and party workers.