MANSEHRA: MPA-elect from PK-41 Laiq Mohammad Khan Swati on Wednesday alleged election-related irregularities, including the polling of counterfeit postal ballots, in his constituency and demanded an inquiry by the Election Commission of Pakistan into them.

He told reporters that though he had convincingly won the election, forged postal ballots were cast in PK-41.

Mr Swati said officials concerned were unaware of that “fraud.”

“My rival Zareen Gul Bacha polled over 290 forged postal ballots stamped with the fake seal of the principal of the Government High School Darband. Neither voters nor the principal knew about this fraud,” he claimed.

The MPA-elect demanded an inquiry by the ECP into the matter as well as other discrepancies in elections and warned if that didn’t happen, he would move the court to claim justice.

MrSwati won the Feb 8 election as an independent contestant from Torghar’s only provincial assembly constituency PK-41 and joined the PTI.

Meanwhile, the ECP on Tuesday directed NA-15 Mansehra election winner Shahzada Gustasab Khan and PML-N candidate and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif to appear before the chief election commissioner in Islamabad on Feb 26 over an alleged poll irregularity.

Mr Sharif had moved the ECP through his legal adviser, Jehangir Jadoon, claiming that votes cast at Torghar’s polling stations are not counted in Form 47 (vote counts).

NA-15 returning officer Hajra Sami submitted a report about elections to the ECP last week.

KILLED: An infant was killed by an accidental fire in the Noguzi area here on Wednesday.

Police said constable Zohaib Shah’s six-year-old son, Hashir Shah, accidentally fired his father’s pistol while playing with it, killing his one-year-old brother.

Hashir suffered minor injury and was treated at a hospital.

Meanwhile, 16 goats were killed after being buried alive under a landslide in Dubimar Seri area of Oghi tehsil.

The incident occurred in an alpine forest.

Nomads with the help of locals retrieved some goats alive.

A revenue department team assessed the damage and submitted its report to the assistant commissioner of Oghi.

Published in Dawn, February 22nd, 2024