The polling started at 8 a.m. and concluded at 5 p.m. without any break and held amid tight security. Over 2.80 million registered voters exercise their right of franchise to elect their representatives for 16 general seats of of the KP Assembly.

PESHAWAR: The first ever historic polling for election of KP assembly in the merged tribal districts of the province Saturday concluded peacefully with no major untoward incident reported.

The polling started at 8 a.m. and concluded at 5 p.m. without any break and held amid tight security. Over 2.80 million registered voters exercise their right of franchise to elect their representatives for 16 general seats of of the KP Assembly.

The polling was held for sixteen general seats of the provincial assembly named  PK 100 to PK-115 in Bajauar, Mohmand, Khyber, Kurram, South Waziristan, North Waziristan, Aurakzai and Frontier Regions.

The ECP had setup 1897 polling stations of them 554 were declared highly sensitive and 466 sensitive.

The tribal people enthusiastically participated in the balloting process in all the merged districts and evinced keen interest in the electioneering. The women voters also turned up in large number at the polling stations for casting votes though their turn out was comparatively low at certain far flung areas of the erstwhile Fata.

The officers of the civil administration throughout the day visited the polling stations and supervised the election and security arrangements under their jurisdiction and issued on the spot instructions for redressal of any problem, brought in their notice on the occasion.

Governor Shah Farman, Chief Minister Mehmud Khan and Information Minister Shaukat Ali Yusafzai congratulated the tribal people over successful holding of the elections in the merged areas. The last phase of Fata merger has been completed today, they said adding now the new era of progress and development would beging in the merged areas.

Today is historic day which will guaranteen socio economic development of the tribal people. The tribal people have now got representation in the provincial legislature which will ensure better resolution of their problems.

They thanked Allah Almighty that the elections were held peacefully across the merged areas and added that tribal people demonstrated political maturity throughout the election process.

The entire credit for peaceful conduct of the election goes to the Pakistan Army, they said adding the vision of Imran Khan succeeded in the elections.—APP