LAKKI MARWAT: Activists of political parties have hailed the decision of Peshawar High Court, directing the Election Commission of Pakistan not to hold local government re-polling on July 5 in the province.

Talking to this correspondent here on Saturday, Qaumi Watan Party district general secretary Imranullah Marwat and Pakistan Peoples Party Lakki tehsil senior vice-president Din Mohammad said that it was unwise decision on the part of ECP to hold re-polling in Ramazan and it also invited criticism from the political parties and election aspirants.

They said that the Peshawar High Court orders to bar ECP from holding re-polling on July 5 was in favour of thousands of voters. “The turnout of voters would have been very low had the re-polling been held according to its schedule,” said Imranullah.

He said that leaders of the political parties had repeatedly requested the ECP authorities to change the date of re-polling. The PPP activists said that voters would be happy with the postponement of the re-polling. The political activists said that May 30 LG elections were rigged and mismanaged. They alleged re-polling was being held on certain polling stations to justify the rigged elections.

HEATWAVE: The rural and urban localities of Lakki Marwat district are in the grip of a severe heatwave for the last two days, forcing the people to stay indoors to avoid sunstroke.

The hot weather coupled with power outages has increased miseries of the residents. Bazaars and markets present a deserted look after 11:00am. Shopkeepers and traders lower shutters of their shops and business outlets before noontide to take rest. People also avoid travel to other cities in the sizzling heat.

Residents said that excessive loadshedding had intensified the problems of people, especially the children and elderly people. Besides, people in several urban localities have been facing water shortage. Residents have demanded of the government to reduce the duration of loadshedding in summer.

Published in Dawn, July 5th, 2015

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