PESHAWAR: Political temperature remained high in the first half of the current month because of the local government elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa where 117 protests and rallies were taken out against the Election Commission of Pakistan.

Strategy and Analysis Wing of the provincial home and tribal affairs department said in its report that a record number of protests and road blocks were observed in the first half of June which showed 59 per cent increase compared to incidents occurred in the second fortnight of May.

The report comprising 53 pages said that 18,036 people took part in protest rallies and public meetings held across the province and public registered their grievances against the government.

The document said that the main reason for the strikes and protests was the local government elections held on May 30. Political parties and unsuccessful candidates held protest demonstrations against alleged rigging and were demanding re-elections.

The document, however, does not mention killing of people in elections. Election-related violence had claimed 20 lives and left 200 wounded across the province.

Tripartite alliance comprising Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl, Awami National Party and Pakistan Peoples Party held protest rallies in many districts against rigging in the election and demanded re-poll in the presence of interim setup in 117 protests held in first half of June against ECP the province, said the report.

It said that 117 of total 201 demonstrations, rallies and road blockades were polling related in which 9,316 people took part, while 22 issues which caused protests were related with the establishment department. Also, 19 protests were held against the Peshawar Electric Supply Company for power outages.

Regarding law and order situation, the report said that multiple protests were taken out against rise in extortion cases in Peshawar. It said that internally displaced persons held a protest for early return to their homes.

Tribesmen also held a protest demonstration in Peshawar, demanding introduction of local government system in Fata and end to corrupt practices of political administration of Khyber Agency. Employees of various associations, including paramedics, also took out rallies in favour of their demands.

Published in Dawn, June 29th, 2015

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