The police in South Waziristan on Monday arrested an independent candidate for allegedly providing financial support to militants, the district police officer said.

Malak Saeed Anwar, an independent contestant from NA-42 and PK-109, was arrested after he was nominated in a first information report registered with the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD), he added.

Earlier, sources said that Anwar was arrested for accusing institutions of forcing voters to join the Jamiat Ulama-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F).

The accused was contesting independently after he defected from the JUI-F who refused him a party ticket, they added.

The police arrested Anwar in the Kotkai area as he was traveling to Tank from Sararogha.

Meanwhile, a 15-member Jirga set off to meet the deputy commission of Upper South Waziristan as people announced protests in Kotkai and Tank.