https://arab.news/6dg7t
- Polling underway in over 50 polling stations across Pakistan’s Khushab, Ghotki and Kohat cities
- Pakistan’s election regulator ordered re-voting after polling materials were stolen, damaged last week
ISLAMABAD: Re-polling got underway in over 50 polling stations across three national and provincial Pakistani constituencies on Thursday, where the exercise was marred during last week’s general elections when polling materials were damaged or stolen in separate incidents.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) last week ordered re-polling in 26 polling stations of NA-88 constituency in Pakistan’s eastern city of Khushab, where it said polling materials were burned by a crowd at the returning officer’s office.
The commission also ordered re-polling at two polling stations in the provincial constituency of PS-18 Ghotki-I in Pakistan’s southern Sindh province, saying that unidentified men had snatched and burned polling material there on Feb. 8. Similarly, the ECP had ordered re-polling across 25 polling stations in PK-90 Kohat-I in northwestern Pakistan as the polling material there had been “damaged by terrorists.”
“The results of these constituencies will be announced after polling concludes on Feb. 15,” a notification by the ECP released on Feb. 10 had said.
Pakistan’s general elections last week were marred by violence and allegations of rigging by several political parties in the country. Pakistani authorities suspended mobile phone services on the morning of Feb. 8 to prevent disruptions and flash protests — raising further concerns about the fairness of the vote with people unable to make calls or send text messages.
Pakistan’s election regulator announced the complete list of unofficial results last Sunday, two-and-a-half days after voting had closed on Thursday evening. The delay was an unusual one, compared to previous elections held in the country. The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, led by former prime minister Imran Khan, alleged the ECP had rigged the polls, saying it had won in 180 National Assembly constituencies.
The ECP strongly rejected rigging allegations, saying that a delay in issuing the results had been caused by the nationwide disruption of communication services.
Following last week’s elections, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) emerged as the largest party in parliament while the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) became the second-largest one. Independent candidates backed by Khan secured the highest number of seats.