Several voters skipped voting in Peshawar’s NA-30 on Thursday after the banned terrorist organisation Tehreek-e-Taliban distributed a pamphlet in the constituency, sources said.

“The use of vote is un-Islamic,” said the pamphlet distributed among voters in sub division Hasan Khel. Locals confirmed the development.

Tens of thousands of people in Pakistan are headed to polling stations to vote for a new government. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is home to more than 21 million voters.

In view of the security situation, the caretaker government temporarily suspended the mobile services in the country moments before the polling began at 8am.

Several political parties have demanded the government to restore the service, with the PPP filing a petition in the Election Commission of Pakistan against the decision.

The South Asian country has seen a surge in terrorist incidents after the Afghan Taliban toppled the US-backed government in Afghanistan. Its ideological twin, the banned TTP, has claimed responsibility for several attacks in Pakistan.

The leaflet, which was distributed by the banned group’s Abdul Rahim group, imposed a ban on polling in the NA-30.

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It is the same group that attacked the army last year, sources said.

While describing democracy as “something against Islam”, it said that such a system of government empowers women to rule. It claimed that it was against the religion.

According to sources, the development caused fear among many voters and prompted them to avoid exercising their basic rights.