LANDI KOTAL, May 17: Political Agent of Khyber Agency Mutahir Zeb has proposed that the Election Commission of Pakistan postpone the May 25 re-polling in 21 polling stations of NA-46, Bara until June as proper arrangements hadn’t been made for the purpose.

In a letter sent to ECP, Mr Zeb said violence was feared if the re-polling was held at the levies centre in Shah Kas near Jamrud.

He said ECP had been informed about massive anomalies in voter lists provided to candidates.

The political agent demanded that voter lists be prepared on the basis of tribe-wise bifurcation of voters and to the satisfaction of voters and candidates from Bara. “Polling will not be possible with the existing voter list and without proper security arrangements,” he said.

Mr Zeb said ECP was also cautioned that any step taken in haste would result in violence and bloodshed to which the political administration would not be a party. He said turnout would be extremely low if re-polling was arranged on the basis of previous voter lists and without proper security.

Meanwhile, almost all candidates from NA-46, Bara have demanded rectification of voter lists along with the holding of re-polling in different places in Peshawar under the supervision of the army.

According to the official counting at 36 of the 57 polling stations in Shah Kas area, former MNA Hamidullah Jan is leading with 1,683 votes followed by Nasir Khan with 1,640 votes and Iqbal Afridi of Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf with 705 votes.

The results were displayed at the notice board of the assistant political agent, Bara, who is also returning officer for the said constituency.

Many candidates, however, rejected the results and demanded re-election.

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