22 May 2004	Saturday	02 Rabi-us-Saani 1425

PESHAWAR, May 21: By-election to vacant seats of nazims and naib nazims in five districts of the province is being held on Saturday. The election was being held in Swabi, Nowshera, Hangu and Tank and for a single seat of Town-I, Peshawar , said a press release issued by the provincial election commission on Friday.

It said polling would commence at 8am and continue till 4pm. Nobody would be allowed to campaign within a radius of 200 meters of the polling station, it said. Election Commission member Justice Qazi Ihsanullah Qureshi would remain in his office to receive complaints regarding the polls, it said.

Our Swabi Correspondent adds: Arrangements have been finalized to elect the district nazim and naib nazim as well as two female councillors here on Saturday. Three panels comprising different political parties and groups are contesting the by-polls.

The director of the election commission, Jehanzeb Khan, said polling stations had been set up for the union councils of NA-12 in post-graduate college and for the UCs of NA-13 in degree college Chota Lahor. Polling will start at 8am and continue till 4pm.

Jehanzeb Khan and Liaquat Ahmad Khan have been contesting from the ANP-PML-N platform. Awal Sher Khan and Saeed Zada are in the field from an alliance between the Swabi Independent Group and Al Khidmat Group; while Raza Shah and Zahoor Ahmad will contest the election from the All Councillor Ittehad platform.

The main contest is expected between the ANP-PML-N panel and the Swabi Independent Group-Al Khidmat alliance. For a women's seat in the district council, Subkhana Begum and Arshad Begum are in the field, while for a seat in Tehsil Chota Lahor Husanbaha and Zarshi Begum will contest the election.