The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has finalized arrangements to hold peaceful by-elections in four each national and provincial assembly constituencies.
According to the Election Commission of Pakistan, the election material has also been handed over to presiding officers. The POs have been directed to remain on polling stations until completion of the process on Thursday (today). On the request of the ECP, the government has already deployed law enforcers on all polling stations.
In KP, by-elections will be held in Peshawar, Nowshera, Swabi and Lakki Marwat. By-polls in Tank/Dera Ismail Khan NA seat had been postponed on Tuesday. JUI-F chief Fazlur Rehman has shown concern over the ECP’s decision for postponing by-polls on the NA seat vacated by him.
Three of four seats have been vacated by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leaders, included Imran Khan, Chief Minister Pervez Khattak and Speaker Asad Qaisar. Now PTI candidate Gul Badshah is contesting against Awami National Party’s Haji Ghulam Ahmad Bilour in NA-1. In NA-5 Nowshera, Dr Imran Khattak is facing ANP’s Daud Khattak and in NA-13 Swabi-2 PTI’s Saqibullah is contesting against JUI-F’s Ataul Haq Darvesh. In NA 27 Lakki Marwat, vacated by Fazlur Rehman, his younger brother Attaur Rehman is facing PTI’s Col (r) Amir Ullah Khan.
Similarly, by-elections in four provincial assembly constituencies will be held in Mardan, Hangu and Bannu. In Mardan, by-polls are being held in two constituencies whereas one seat each in Hangu and Bannu. Both former CMs, ANP’s Amir Haider Khan Hoti and JUI-F’s Akram Khan Durrani, vacated provincial assembly seats as they were also elected to National Assembly. The other two seats fell vacant due to assassination of two PTI lawmakers Imran Mohmand (PK-27 Mardan) and Farid Khan (PK-42 Hangu).
In PK-23 Mardan, ANP’s Ahmad Bahadar Khan, borhter of Imran Mohmand, is facing PTI’s Omar Farooq Kakakhel. In PK-27, PTI’s Jamshed Mohmand is contesting against JUI-F’s Fazal Rabbani.
In PK-42 Hangu, Shah Faisal, brother of Farid khan, is facing JUI-F’s Zahir Shah. In PK-70 Bannu, Azam Durrani, cousin of Akram Durrani, is contesting against PTI’s Malik Adnan.
All opposition parties have united against the ruling PTI. In Lakki Marwat, workers and stalwarts from the PML-N and the PPP are divided as Saifullah brothers are supporting the PTI candidate to settle scores with Fazlur Rehman. Salim Saifullah Khan is associated with the PML-N, Anwar Saifullah Khan is provincial president of the PPP and Javed SaifuIlah Khan is a PTI stalwart.
The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, through a pamphlet in Hangu, opposed elections, declaring them contrary to Islam. The pamphlet urged the people to stay away from by-polls. The leaflet has created panic among Hangu residents. Adjacent to North Waziristan, Kurram and Aurakzai Agencies, Hangu is considered a safe transit route for militants and terrorists sheltering in tribal belt.
