ISLAMABAD, Aug 15: Acting Chief Election Commissioner Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar has asked the chief secretaries of the provinces to declare Aug 18 as a holiday in the districts where polling is going to be held during the first phase of the local government elections.

“Aug 18 may be declared a closed holiday in the districts of first phase of local government elections, in their provinces,” the acting CEC asked the chief secretaries of Punjab, Sindh, the NWFP and Balochistan.

Elections will be held in 54 districts on Aug 18 and in the remaining 56 districts on Aug 25.

On Aug 18, elections will be held in Gujranwala, Sialkot, Sargodha, Khushab, Multan, Lodhran, Khanewal, Sahiwal, Pakpattan, Vehari, Dera Ghazi Khan, Rajanpur, Muzaffargarh, Layyah, Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar and Rahimyar Khan districts in Punjab; Karachi, Thatta, Tando Allah Yar, Ghotki, Naushero Feroz, Jacobabad, Kashmore, Mirpurkhas, Umerkot, Sanghar and Tharparkar in Sindh; Peshawar, Nowshera, Charsadda, Mardan, Swabi, Kohat, Karak, Bannu, Dera Ismail Khan, Tank, Haripur and Buner in the NWFP and Khuzdar, Mastung, Kharan, Awaran, Pishin, Noshki, Sibi, Ziarat, Bolan, Nasirabad, Jaffarabad, Killa Saifullah, Barkhan and Gwadar in Balochistan.—APP