MANSEHRA: The Election Commission of Pakistan on Friday appointed a new returning officer to Mansehra’s National Assembly constituency of NA-15.

Zakir Jadoon, the director of the Urban Area Development Authority, replaced Hajra Sami as the RO, according to a notification issued by ECP assistant director Mohammad Asad Ali.

The poll body, however, didn’t specify any reason for the removal of Ms Sami as the RO.

The development comes as the PML-N is fighting a legal battle against the NA-15 “victory” of PTI-backed independent Shahzada Gustasab Khan, who, according to Form 47, led the election by a margin of over 25,000 votes.

Hajra Sami is the additional deputy commissioner (relief and human rights) in Mansehra.

Gives no reason for move amid poll victory controversy

An ECP bench headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja has already rejected the plea of PML-N’s NA-15 candidate Nawaz Sharif to withhold the issuance of Form 49 as the RO recorded her statement with it on Thursday.

She issued Form 47 (unofficial NA-15 poll results) and was set to release Form 48 (details of votes polled) and Form 49 (final poll results) but was replaced.

Earlier this week, the police booked the family members and friends of NA-15 assistant returning officer Mohammad

Ishtiaq on the complaint of deputy commissioner Bilal Shahid Rao as they took him away from the King Abdullah Teaching Hospital against the doctors’ advice.

KILLED: A man killed his wife over a domestic issue in the Upper Sundi area here on Friday.

Abdul Razzaq had heated exchanges with his wife and opened fire at her leaving her seriously injured. She was rushed to the civil hospital in Shinkiari but doctors declared her dead, according to the FIR registered by police.

The body was handed over to the woman’s family after doctors completed medico-legal formalities.

The police registered an FIR and began an investigation for the arrest of the accused.

Meanwhile, five people suffered critical injuries when a pickup vehicle collided with a wagon head-on in the Kana Pano area here.

The accident occurred as the driver lost control of the wagon on the way from Shinkiari to Mansehra.

Rescue 1122 workers shifted the injured to the King Abdullah Teaching Hospital where doctors referred two of them to the Ayub Medical Complex Hospital in Abbottabad.

The police registered an FIR and started an investigation to ascertain the exact cause of the incident.

APPOINTMENT: The education department on Friday began the process of recruiting the children of its employees, who died during service.

“We [education department] want to recognise the services of our employees, who died during service, by appointing their sons as junior clerks,” district education officer Ashfaq Khan Jadoon told reporters here.

He said in the first phase, 31 junior clerks from across the district would be appointed to the department.

“Typing tests for all those eyeing the job quota for deceased employees’ sons will take place on Feb 19 at the offices of the district education officer for male in Chitta Dehri area,” he said.

The official promised the recruitment of successful candidates.

Published in Dawn, February 17th, 2024