The voting time ended and counting of votes was under way on Sunday for the Local Government elections in as many as 17 districts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa that was marred by violence and indiscipline, Aaj News reported.

The polling began at 8am and will continue until 5pm without any pause. Voters present at the polling stations would be able to cast votes. It is pertinent to mention that the people of the tribal district for the first time in the country's history would elect their local bodies representative.

According to the procedure, every voter would cast six votes in the local government elections. Voters are being given white colour ballot paper for the seats of the city council mayor and the district council chairman, while pink colour ballot paper is being given for women seats.

A total 9,223 polling stations and 28,892 polling booths have been set up out of which 4,188 polling stations were declared sensitive and 2,507 most sensitive, according to APP. CCTV cameras have been installed on sensitive and most sensitive polling stations and the display of arms or carrying of weapons and electronic devices including mobile phones inside polling stations are not allowed.

Over 12.668 million registered voters -- including 7,015,767 male and 5,653,095 female -- would decide the fate of 37,752 candidates contesting for different seats in Peshawar, Nowshera, Charsadda, Khyber, Mohmand, Mardan, Swabi, Kohat, Karak, Hangu, Bannu, Lakki Marwat, DI Khan, Tank, Haripur, Buner and Bajaur districts in the first phase.

Violence and indiscipline

As the people went to cast their votes, many polling stations reported incidents of indiscipline and violence. As many as two people, including a policeman, were injured during indiscipline at the Government Primary School Shah Alam polling station in Peshawar.

In the wake of the situation, SP Security Mohammad Nabeel Khokar with a heavy contingent of law enforcers reached the polling station. "People are the cause of indiscipline at the polling stations as they are not following the queues. The police are trying their best to ensure peace at the polling stations," he told reporters.

Moreover, the process of voting was temporarily stopped in three different polling stations in the Khyber district. Incidents of indiscipline were also reported in the Tehsil Landi Kotal. According to police, some voters broke the voting box in the Tehsil Landi Kotal, while some charged voters chanted slogans against the voting staff in the Jamrud C-1 polling station.

In Jamrud Tehsil of Khyber, polling was stopped at Government Khan Mast Kali Safirabad polling station because of the alleged rigging and disrespect at the women's polling station.

In addition to this, three armed men attacked a polling station in Bannu's Narmi Khel area, which was termed as one of the most sensitive polling stations by the ECP, on late Saturday. Provincial Election Commissioner Habibur Rehman told reporters that the unidentified persons took away the polling material.

Election postponed in Baka Khel district

The Election Commission of Pakistan on Sunday postponed the LG polls in the Baka Khel district of Bannu in the wake of the uncertain law and order situation in the district till the situation normalises. In a statement, the ECP said that the new date for the poll would be announced later.

“The Deputy Commissioner Bannu and District Police Officer Bannu have inquired and reported the incident of abduction of police personnel, polling staff (including females) and snatching of different polling bags/materials at different polling stations of Tehsil Baka Khel in the district of Bannu and resultant uncertain law and order situation in the Tehsil Baka Khel. The deputy commissioner and district police officer further maintained that the situation warrants the postponement of polling process in the Tehsil, until the law-and-order situation is reestablished," it read.

The ECP said the chief secretary of the Government of K-P endorsed such recommendations.

The ECP also formed an inquiry committee to probe the incident and submit a report to the commission within seven days. The inquiry committee has been formed comprising Special Secretary Zafar Iqbal, Additional Director General Law Khurram Shehzad and K-P Director Election Khushalzada.

According to a handout, Leader of Opposition in K-P Assembly Akram Khan Durrani accused the PTI's provincial minister of "attacking" the polling station in Bannu and abducting the polling material and staff.

More to follow