The second phase of the local body elections started in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Thursday. The polling started early morning amid tight security. The polling will continue till 5:00pm without any break.
The first phase was held in December, in which Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl emerged as a leading party while giving a setback to the ruling party PTI.
Special Assistant to Chief Minister on Information Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif said in a press conference before the election that the government had completed all arrangements for the election day, and foolproof security would be provided to 8.057 million people exercising their right to vote.
He said that as compared to the first phase of elections, extra security had been provided to women candidates, adding that the Pakistan Army personnel would also be deployed if required.
Of the 6,176 polling stations set up for today’s polls, the Election Commission on Pakistan (ECP) has declared 1,609 polling stations “most sensitive”, 2,319 “sensitive” and 2,069 “normal” ahead of the elections.
The ECP data showed that 39,554 candidates were vying for 12,875 seats. A total of 651 candidates would contest for city mayor and tehsil chairman seats; 12,980 for general and neighbourhood councils; 2,668 for women seats; 6,451 for labour; 5,213 for the farmer and youth seats; and 57 have submitted nomination papers for religious minorities’ seats.
The election body has informed that a total of 1,318 candidates have been elected unopposed in 65 tehsils. Some 351 candidates have been elected unopposed on general seats, 533 on women seats, 151 on labour and farmer seats, 233 on youth seats and 50 on minority seats in village and neighbourhood councils.
The district administrations have also announced a holiday for schools in districts where the local government elections are taking place.
