KOHAT, Oct 13: The returning officer for NA-47, Tribal Area- XII, declared Dr Nasim Afridi of Darra Adamkhel as successful after counting the postal ballots.

Earlier, Ashfaq Battani of Tank was declared winner, according to the unofficial result, by a narrow margin of 33 votes.

He had refused to allow the returning officer to open the postal ballots, alleging that the polls had been rigged in the favour of Dr Nasim Afridi by the political administration.

The Kohat police had also arrested Ashfaq’s supporters and seized weapons from them in raids conducted in different areas in Kohat on Saturday. An FIR was also lodged against them in the Cantt police station after their arrest.

The returning officer for NA-47, Umar Mohammad Khan, announced the results late on Saturday night after the postal ballots were counted.

According to unofficial result, Dr Nasim has got 10,341 votes, and Ashfaq Battani, who earlier led the count by only 33 votes, has polled 10,277 votes. Dr Nasim won the seat with a lead of 64 votes.

The turnout of the lone NA seat of six Frontier Regions of Fata was put at 28.79 per cent.