Daily Times

PESHAWAR: Votes polling for the second phase of local bodies election began in 18 districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Thursday.

The polling started at 8:00 a.m. and will continue till 5: 00 p.m. without break. Great enthusiasm is being witnessed among voters in these districts.

The voters start arriving at polling stations and casting their votes in a free and peaceful atmosphere.

Tribal voters in Orakzai, Kurram , North Waziristan and South  Waziristan are casting their votes for the first time in local bodies election.

Elections for the seats of mayor and chairman of tehsil and city’s councils besides different categories of village and neighbourhood councils are being held in Abbottabad, Mansehra, Battagram, Torghar, Upper and Lower Kohistan, Kolai-Palas, Swat, Malakand, Shangla, Lower and Upper Dir, Upper and Lower Chitral, Kurram, Orakzai, and North and South Waziristan districts.

According to the Provincial Election Commission, the total number  of registered voters in these districts are 8,057,974 including 4,489,771 male and 3,567,703 female.

The voters cast their votes for 65 tehsils, 1,830 village and neighborhood councils in these districts.

As many as 561 candidates are in the run for 65 tehsil seats, 12,980 for general seats, 2668 for women seats, 6451 for farmers/labourers seats, 5213 for youth seats and 57 minorities seats.

Similarly, 351 candidates have been elected unopposed on general seats, 533 candidates on women seats, 233 youth seats, 50 minorities seats and 151 labourers/farmers seats.

The Election Commission of Pakistan has set up 6,176 polling stations including 1,246 for male, 1,164 for female and 3,766 combined for facilitation of voters.

Similarly, 16,509 polling booths including 9,218 for male and 7,291 for female were also set up to facilitate voters including young and female voters.

Out of these polling stations, 1,646 were declared most sensitive and 2,326 sensitive where elaborate security arrangements are made.

Elaborate security arrangements have been made for the election. Carrying of arms and ammunition inside polling stations would not be allowed.

The most sensitive polling stations were being monitored through CCTV cameras. ECP authorities are monitoring the polling process.

Under supervision of Deputy Director Local Government Elections, Muhammad Nasir Khan and Assistant Director Mustafa Jalal, a control room was setup at the office of Provincial Election Commissioner Peshawar for quick resolution of election related complaints.