TIMERGARA: Body of a female presiding officer identified as Ms Sajida was recovered at Ramyal area of Chakdara here on Thursday. She was swept away by floodwater while returning from her election duty at Kharkanai area.

Body of Ms Sajida, who was a headmistress of government girls’ high school, Kotigram, was taken to the tehsil headquarters hospital, Chakdara, from where it was sent to her hometown Thana in Malakand. She was swept away by floodwater when she was returning election materials and result to the returning officer of NA-6 along with security staff after performing her duties at government high school Mayar Khadagzai.

Their vehicle (AL-9414) got stuck in the floodwater at Kharkanai area. The security staff escaped while the presiding officer along with police constable Ubaid and election material were swept away by floodwater. Driver of the vehicle is also missing.

The rescue teams shifted her body to the hospital. Search for the missing police constable is underway while whereabouts of the driver is also not known.

Meanwhile, all returning officers, Lower Dir administration and the election staff in the district expressed their heartfelt sorrows over the sad demise of a female staffer.

On Wednesday it began to rain heavily after the result count and majority of the streams in Adenzai and Talash were suddenly flooded that also disrupted traffic on Chakdara-Timergara road. The floodwater in the streams created problems for the election staff to transfer results and election materials to ROs’ offices timely.

Published in Dawn, July 27th, 2018