MANSEHRA, Feb 21: Clashes between baton-wielding activists of the PML-N and the PML-Q left dozens of supporters injured as rechecking of 4,106 rejected votes and counting of postal ballots continued on Thursday.

The court proceedings could not be held because police cordoned off the area after the clashes.

Hundreds of activists of the two parties reached the premises of the local courts on Thursday and wanted to siege the court of the returning officer for the NA-20 constituency. But a heavy contingent of Frontier Constabulary and police personnel restricted the activists from entering the courts’ premises on the Kashmir road.

The rival activists pelted stones on each other, as a result dozens of them were injured, who were taken to the District Headquarters Hospital in Mansehra.

The workers also smashed windscreens and glasses of several vehicles. They tried to set ablaze some vehicles but police foiled their attempts.

District Nazim Sardar Mohammad Yousaf, father of winning candidate Sardar Shahjahan Yousaf of the PML-Q, and Senator Azam Khan Swati Azam Khan Swati of the PML-N asked their supporters to remain clam and leave the area peacefully, and let the returning officer decide the matter according to the law and due procedure.

The two groups dispersed at that moment, but later they again gathered on the Kashmir road.

After Shahjahan Yousaf defeated PML-N candidate Gen (retired) Salahudeen Tirmazee in the NA-20 constituency with a margin of just 138 votes, both the winner and the runner-up filed applications with returning officer Syed Kamal Hussein Shah for rechecking of the rejected votes and counting of postal ballots.

Mr Tirmazee had also got stay from the local court against declaration of the official result of the constituency, accusing the rival candidate of rigging the polls.

An official source privy to the recounting process said that at the end of recounting on Wednesday, Shahjahan Yousaf’s lead had decreased to 57 votes.

According to unofficial results, Shahjahan Yousaf had polled 72,299 votes against 72,161 of Mr Tirmazee.