Aerial firing by unidentified armed individuals outside two polling stations in Ghotki's PS-18 constituency halted the re-polling process there. The incident prompted the intervention of law enforcement agencies, including the arrival of the district returning officer along with police forces.
As tension escalated, it was decided to suspend the re-polling process at both affected polling stations, 161 and 162 -- Chakar Khan Kolachi and Ali Murad Kalhoro. The situation prompted the deployment of Rangers and Pakistan Army troops to surround the polling stations, enhancing security measures in the area.
After the vote count at two polling stations was completed, as per the unofficial results of all 188 polling stations of the constituency, independent candidate Jam Mehtab Dahar emerged victorious by grabbing 57,878 votes, followed by PPP candidate Sardar Shehryar who got 55,678 votes.
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Kohat district, polling was held in 25 polling stations of the PK-90 constituency. After the vote count, as per unofficial result of all 169 polling stations, PTI-backed independent candidate Aftab Alam was announced winner with 45,970 votes and PPP's Amjad Afridi the runner-up with 34,364 votes.
Meanwhile, in Khushab's NA-88, the counting of votes ended at the 26 polling stations where a repoll was held. As per complete unofficial results from all the polling stations of the constituency, Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party candidate Gul Asghar won by obtaining 87,805 votes, while independent candidate Moazzam Sher second the second spot with 70,186 votes.
This development comes after the Election Commission ordered re-polling at 26 out of 331 polling stations due to discrepancies in the electoral process and disruptions during the recent general elections.
The repolling process commenced on Thursday at 8am in NA-88 Khushab, where voters from 26 polling stations are being given the opportunity to cast their ballots until 5pm. The decision to conduct repolling was made after an unfortunate incident on February 8, where a ballot box and other records were maliciously set on fire by some miscreants in the RO office, prompting the election commission to take swift action.
The contestants include IPP's Gul Asghar Khan against independent candidate Ikram Niazi. The DPO has declared the area a red zone, while a heavy contingent of the police and army personnel has been deployed. A local holiday was also announced in the area.
Similarly, in PS-18 Obaro of Ghotki area of Sindh, repolling was held at two polling stations, 161 and 162, due to the theft of ballot boxes during the polling on February 8. Around 300 police personnel are performing security duty for the repoll, while the number of registered voters in these two polling stations is 3,308.
Despite the setback caused by the theft, citizens are actively participating in the electoral process to ensure their voices are heard.
Meanwhile, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Kohat district, polling was held in 25 polling stations of the PK-90 constituency following the vandalism and arson attacks on these polling stations in Dara Adam Khel on February 8. The number of registered voters in these polling stations is 41,498.
Additionally, preparations are underway for repolling tomorrow in seven polling stations of NA-253 and PB-09 Kohlu, where election staff and supplies are being dispatched under strict security measures enforced by Levies and FC personnel.
In NA-253, independent candidate Mian Khan Bugti is leading with 2,040 votes, with PML-N's Mir Dostain Domki trailing behind.
Meanwhile, in PB-07 Kholu, independent candidate Nawabzada Ghazian has announced his support for his elder brother Nawab Jangez Marri. PPP's Mir Naseebullah Marri is in the lead with 5,888 votes in 67 polling stations. PML-N's Jangez Marri has obtained 2,479 votes.
As the repolling progresses, political stakeholders and citizens alike remain vigilant, hoping for a fair and transparent electoral process that upholds the democratic principles of Pakistan. The Election Commission continues to monitor the situation closely to ensure the integrity and credibility of the electoral process across all constituencies.
