17 October 2004	Sunday	02 Ramazan 1425

GILGIT, Oct 16: Official results of the Northern Areas Legislative Council elections, scheduled to be announced on Oct 15, are being delayed because of the recounting of ballots in the constituencies of NA-III and NA-II, Gilgit, sources said.

"It is a mockery that re-counting of votes in NA-III, which began late on Friday, is yet to finish.

Whenever asked, each time the returning officer and his assisting staff were heard saying that they were busy in the re-counting," the sources said.

They said there was something 'fishy' in recounting in NA-III Gilgit and officials were reluctant to come out with a clear decision and response.

They said that according to initial unofficial results on Oct 13, PPP-P candidate Aftab Haider was leading his independent rival Muzaffar Ali by 150 votes. Mr Muzaffar filed an application with the NAs election commission for recounting of votes on Oct 13, and since then the recounting was continued amid tight security.

Police sources said they had seized three klashnikovs, a 12-bore pistol, a short gun, 59 bullets from vehicles which were in the use of supporters of these candidates on Firday evening.

They were roaming around the offices of the returning officer of NA-III.

The police have arrested three accused under weapons act while tension persisted around the offices of Local Government in Gilgit where the recounting is continue.

In NA-II (Gilgit), according to unofficial results, PML-N candidate and former Northern Areas Legislative Council education adviser Hafizur Rahman has a lead of 500 votes over his rival of PPP-P Muhammad Musa. But no official of the elelction commission is ready to confirm it.