BAJAUR: Awami National Party’s Mohammad Nisar Khan won by-elections for provincial assembly seat, PK-22, by securing 11,695 votes against 10,622 votes received by an independent candidate Najeebullah Khan, according to provisional result announced by the returning officer.

At all 91 polling stations in the constituency, candidate of Jamaat-i-Islami Abid Khan received 10,593 votes whereas Rahatullah of Sunni Ittehad Council, having support of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, bagged 7,146 votes.

A total of 45,801 votes (25.59 per cent) were cast out of total 179,010 registered votes in the constituency.

Elections in this constituency as well for a National Assembly seat in Bajaur were postponed in the Feb 8 general polls due to death of a candidate, Rehanzeb Khan, a PTI’s dissident. However, during by-elections both these seats were won by Rehan’s brother Mubarekzeb, who decided to retain the NA seat and vacated the PK-22 provincial assembly seat.

Polling was held mostly in peaceful environment here in Bajaur district on Thursday.

The polling process at all the 91 polling stations, which started at 8am, continued till 5pm, the designated time without any interval. No major issue was reported despite the fact that 43 polling stations were declared sensitive and 23 were most sensitive.

However, some minor clashes were reported among the supporters of different political parties and candidates at few polling stations. Strict security arrangements were made at almost all polling stations.

The total number of registered voters in the constituency is 107,910 including 99,038 men and 79,972 women. However, during visit to different polling stations, it was witnessed that a very small number of people were present to exercise their rights to vote till 3pm.

Several candidates and their polling agents confirmed low turnout of voters, especially of women. They told this correspondent that the presence of voters at polling stations was against of their expectations. They said that they expected that at least 40 per cent of people voters come to polling stations.

The polling staff and candidates also expressed the fear that the turnout of women voters might remain low than the 10 per cent criteria of Election Commission of Pakistan to legalise the polling process.

There were a total 12 of candidates in the run.

Published in Dawn, July 12th, 2024