August 18, 2005	Thursday	Rajab 12, 1426

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PESHAWAR, Aug 17: A jirga in a rural union council has asked people to stay away from the local government polls on Thursday and warned that ‘violators’ will be fined Rs1 million and their houses will be set on fire.

It is learnt that the jirga met a few days ago at Qilla Shah Baig, a rural area adjoining the Mohmand Agency, and decided to not to allow people to participate in the polling.

The area, situated in Union Council No 42, Jogni, was a de facto tribal area.

Area Returning Officer Ms Mahjabeen, who is also a civil judge, told Dawn that she had visited the area and there was no harm in setting up polling station there.

When contacted, she said it would be premature to say whether the area people would cast votes or not. The district returning officer also had visited the area and all arrangements had been finalized.

“If there was any threat, I will have changed the polling station from the area,” she added

“We have deputed heavy police force there after the announcement made by the jirga and won’t allow anyone to disrupt the polls,” informed a Martha police official.

A voter from Piyari Bala area of the union council told Dawn that his area was far away from the troubled Qilla Shah Baig and people had to cover many kilometres for going there. They had not cast votes during the 2002 elections as the inhabitants of that Qilla Shah Baig had warned them against entering the area.

“We are facing the same situation and we won’t go there for polling as people there possess modern weaponry, including rocket launchers and grenades,” he added.

A contesting candidate informed that they were now in a fix as the law and order situation of the area was worst and the voter would not dare go for polling. He said polling stations of some other localities of the union council were also set up in Qilla Shah Baig, which was a wrong step.

Some other candidates informed that they had already brought the issue to the notice of the returning officer concerned and DRO.

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