KP LG polls: Two killed in gun attack on polling station in Karak

Karak: Two persons killed in a gun attack on a polling station in Karak during the voting of local body elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) on Sunday.  

According to the details garnered, several incidents of violence, including a gun attack on a polling station in Karak, took place in the LB polls in 17 Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) districts, and left at least two people dead and some injured.

In the Karak districts’s Faqir Khel area, unidentified people opened fire at a polling station killing two people and wounding four. The firing disrupted the polling process. Additional police and FC contingents have arrived in the area.

After the incident, polling was suspended in Faqir Khel area after two people were shot dead and four others were injured in Kark.

Moreover, several other incident of violence have also been reported from the province. The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has postponed polling is some areas. Mismanagement on the part of polling staff was also reported.

In Khyber, shots were fired and furniture of polling station was damaged, while a scuffle also erupted between polling agents in Charsadda.

Another scuffle between candidates in Dera Ismail Khan injured one person; however, police have arrested the suspects.

Polling was also suspended in a polling station of Jamrud after two candidates of general councilor clashed. Police fired aerial shots to disperse the crowd.

It is pertinent to mention here that more than 77,000 security personnel have been deployed to ensure security during the polls. At least 4,128 of 9,230 polling stations were declared sensitive by authorities.

On the other hand, polling for the first phase of local government elections in 17 districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has ended and counting underway.

According to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), the polling process started at 8am and ended at 5pm without any break.

The 17 districts where elections are held include Peshawar, Nowshera, Charsadda, Khyber, Mohmand, Mardan, Swabi, Kohat, Karak, Hangu, Bannu, Lakki Marwat, Dera Ismail Khan, Tank, Haripur, Buner and Bajaur.

Over 12.668 million registered voters, including 7,015,757 male and 5,653,095 female voters, are deciding the fate of 37,752 candidates contesting for different seats.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has set up more than 9,223 polling stations and nearly 28,892 polling booths have been set up for local government elections, while 4,188 polling stations have been declared sensitive and 2,507 most sensitive. 

Over 12.668 million registered voters, including 7,015,757 male and 5,653,095 female voters, would decide the fate of 37,752 candidates contesting for different seats.

Stringent security arrangements have been made in this regard. 77,000 policemen and law-enforcement personnel have been deployed outside polling stations and booths for the security of voters.

CCTV cameras have been installed and booth of these sensitive locations and it is prohibited to carry weapons or electronic devices in all polling stations.

As many as 19,285 for general seats of village, and neighborhood councils, 3,870 for women, 7,428 for farmers and labor, 6,011 for youth and 293 for minorities.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has established a control room in ECP’s Peshawar office to receive polling day complaints.