SWABI, May 20: Shiraz Khan of Pakistan Muslim League-N has retained the PK-36, Swabi-VI, seat after the completion of the recounting here on Monday.

The recounting was started on Friday and it was continued even on Sunday in the presence of winning and runner-up candidates.

Rangaiz Khan, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf candidate from the seat, had acquired an order from the office of the Election Commission of Pakistan on May 16 for recounting the ballots.

Mr Shiraz was initially reluctant to agree to recount but he budged after the ECP ordered completion of recounting till May 20.

Before the recounting, Mr Shiraz had won with the difference of 189 votes, receiving 12,923 votes against 12,734 votes bagged by Mr Rangaiz.

However, after recounting his votes margin jumped from 189 to 404 votes. He is the only candidate of PML-N who won from the district after many years.

Celebrations once again erupted at his residence at Topi after the announcement of the recounting result.

RE-POLLING DEMANDED: Leaders of various parties have demanded re-polling in some constituencies in the district while holding a joint protest demonstration against the alleged rigging at Karnal Sher Khan Chowk on Monday.

Leaders and workers of the Awami National Party, Jamait Ulema-i-Islam-F, Jamaat-i-Islami, Pakistan Muslim League-N, Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarians and Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf participated in the protest.

Traffic on Swabi-Mardan, Swabi-Jehangira and Swabi-Topi roads remained suspended for hours and commuters faced problems in sizzling heat.

They demanded re-polling in NA-12, PK-31, Swabi-1, PK-32, Swabi-II and PK-33, Swabi-III. The PPPP district president Javid Inqilabi, ANP former MNA Rehmanullah, PML-N district general secretary Dildar Khan, JI provincial naib amir Mushtaq Ahmad Khan, JUI-F district amir Maulana Fazal Ali and PTI district president Yousaf Ali spoke on the occasion.