KHAAR (Bajaur Agency), Dec 22: The Election Commission of Pakistan has allotted symbols to candidates contesting the NA-44 by-elections, where two candidates are in the run, an official said.

Assistant political agent Abdul Qayyum Khan, who is the assistant election commissioner for NA-44, told journalists here on Friday that three candidates had withdrawn their nomination papers and there would now be a one-to-one contest between two independent candidates – namely, Shahabuddin Khan and Haji Syed Badshah.

As the government has yet to extend Political Parties Order to the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, political parties cannot field their candidates. However, Shahabuddin Khan is backed by the Awami National Party, while Haji Syed Badshah enjoys the support of the PML (Q).

The NA-44 seat fell vacant after Jamaat-i-Islami-supported member Sahibzada Haroon Rashid resigned from the National Assembly to protest against the bombing of a seminary on Oct 30. The JI has decided to boycott the by-elections and has resolved to observe a black day on the polling day instead.

Mr Khan said the commission had allotted the symbol of “dove” to Mr Shahabuddin and Mr Syed Badshah that of “fan”. He said the administration would not allow any individual or group to disturb the election process.

Officials said there were 131,700 registered male and female voters in the constituency and the commission had established a total of 61 polling stations for the polls to be held on Jan 10. The commission had directed the political authorities to take appropriate security measures in and around the polling stations, he added.