PESHAWAR, Oct 11: Supporters of wealthy candidates — contesting elections independently or fielded by political parties — were seen purchasing votes in several districts of the Frontier province.

The districts where “selling and buying” of votes was reported include Mardan, Nowshera and Peshawar districts. At Mardan the polling agents of an independent NA candidate were seen making dirty deals.

Gul Zada, polling agent of a ANP-PPP candidate at Mardan town told this correspondence that a man, claiming to have 25 votes, was asking Rs200 for each vote.

Sumandar Khan, a voter, who was cutting a deal with a political agent of a candidate, told this scribe that supporters of an independent candidate from the same area had offered him ‘considerable’ amount for 25 votes.

The supporters of an NA independent candidate from Mardan, while talking to Dawn said that there were several voters demanding money. “Some voters were clever; they waited until the last minutes to get a good bargain for their votes,” said a polling agent.—Bureau