Provincial Election Commissioner Akhtar Hussain Sabir said on Monday that ballot papers for NA and Provincial Assembly seats have been printed and the delivery process to start in three to four days. Briefing conference on 'Unite for Elections' here at a local hotel, the Election Commission said.
All the necessary election materials have been dispatched to the respective district returning officers including the ballot boxes, and booklets for the polling agents. He said the printing process of the ballot papers for 35 general seats of the NWFP, 12 tribal seats and 124 provincial assembly seats has been completed and will be dispatched in coming few days.
In all 263 are in the run for 35 general seats of the national assembly from the NWFP, 188 for 12 fata seats and 451 for 124 seats of the NWFP assembly. He further explained that 774 candidates are in the field for 99 general seats of the NWFP assembly and 22 women for NA and 60 women for the provincial assembly seats.
In all 8173 polling stations would be set-up including 1080 in Fata. The number of polling booths is 21476 in the NWFP and 2673 in Fata. As many as 79027 polling staff to supervise the elections on February 18, he said, adding, the staff has been deputed in this regard.
SNEP- a project of UNDP in collaboration of the Election Commission of Pakistan, he said, has arranged workshops for DROs, ROs and AROs and trained by the Presiding Officers through master trainer. A booklet containing instructions for the polling agents of the candidates has been prepared and sent to all the DROs.
Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Nisar A.Memon, Provincial Information Minister Syed Imtiaz Hussain Gilani, Secretary Information NWFP Arbab Muhammad Arif, PIO Rashid Ahmed, Secretary Home Badshah Gul Wazir, and IGP NWFP Muhammad Sharif Virk were present on the occasion.