LANDI KOTAL, March 21: The local political administration has imposed a ban on carrying out any sort of election related activities at Landi Kotal Bazaar owing to security reasons.

Assistant Political Agent Dr Azmatullah Wazir told Dawn that the step was taken to ensure security of people at Landi Kotal Bazaar within the perimeters of a free election campaign. He said that the ban was imposed after taking local political leadership, traders and tribal elders into confidence. “

This is the first phase of our arrangements for paving the way for a free, fair and secure election in Landi Kotal tehsil,” Dr Wazir said, adding that all the stakeholders were required to cooperate with the local administration in order to achieve its objectives.

The Khasadar Force had on Wednesday thwarted an eminent clash between two local groups when one of those tried to observe a ‘day of salvation’ at the completion of five-year term of National Assembly.

Some students belong to a group were chanting slogans against former MNA Noorul Haq Qadri when his supporters tried to stop them forcefully.

The local traders and potential candidates expressed serious reservations about the said incident and approached local administration to help prevent occurrences of such events in future, Dr Wazir said.

He, however, made it clear that their would no ban on electioneering in other parts of Landi Kotal tehsil as candidates were free to organise political rallies and gatherings with prior knowledge of the local authorities so security arrangements could be made.

The official said that in the second phase of their plan to ensure peaceful elections in Landi Kotal, all the candidates and their party supporters would be taken into confidence regarding complete implementation of the election code of conduct. He said that the administration would also ensure full security to all the candidates if they cooperated with the law enforcement agencies.