CHITRAL, Dec 8: Heavy snowfall and harsh conditions will make it difficult to hold elections in Chitral district and the Election Commission authorities must consider postponing the polls in the area until April 15, according to Nazim of Chitral Tehsil Sartaj Ahmed Khan.

Addressing a press conference here on Saturday, he said the elections should be postponed to enable the maximum number of people to exercise their right to vote.

The tehsil nazim said that severe weather conditions in Chitral would make it impossible for the people from going to polling stations and the turnout would be abysmally low.

He said the 36 valleys in the district that were cut off from the rest of the country after even an hour-long snowfall would be totally isolated in the winter season. He said the road and infrastructure in the district had already been destroyed after last year’s heavy snowfall and avalanches, adding that more than 70 suspension bridges had been washed away.

Mr Khan said that it would be impossible for people living in remote areas to approach the polling stations.

He feared that in case of severe snowfall, it would not be possible even to transport election material to the polling stations, adding that if elections were held in January, women would miss their chance to vote.

He said that all political parties agreed to reschedule the polling and the request should be taken into consideration because of the ground realities.

Enumerating other factors, he said that a large number of youth had gone out of the district to seek employment and their return was also not possible before early April.