SWABI: Abdul Karim, who was elected MPA on the ticket of Qaumi Watan Party, would fill up the membership form of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf on Friday and on the same day he will apply for the PTI ticket for PK-45, Swabi-III.

PTI district president Anwar Haqdad said May 4 was the last day for submitting applications for the party tickets. Abdul Karim will become a member of PTI on Friday and on the same he will apply for the ticket.

Sources said that PTI leadership agreed with Mr Karim that he would get the party ticket for PK-45 and after the assurance he decided to join PTI. They said that a big gathering was expected to be held in his honour and PTI chairman Imran Khan or Chief Minister Pervez Khattak would address it.

The PTI leaders said that Mr Karim was no longer a member of QWP and he joined the caravan of Imran Khan.

ECP: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has added senior assistant presiding officer (SAPO) to the polls conducting staff under Election Act, 2017.

This was stated by the polling staff after getting training for conducting the upcoming election as APOs and polling officer (POs). The training process of polling staff is continued and it is expected that the first phase of training would be completed till May 12.

There would be a break in the training during Ramazan and soon after Eidul Fitr the second phase of the training would be commenced.

The staff has received a proper training. It is must for every member to get the training.

The earlier practice was that at every polling station there was a presiding officer, APO and PO but now SAPO has been included in the election conducting staff. He would perform dual responsibility, acting as APO and helping the presiding officer.

Another difference between the previous and upcoming elections would be oath taking by the staff before starting of the polls on the Election Day.

Published in Dawn, May 4th, 2018