Candidates of local bodies' polls have alleged massive rigging in May 30 elections and demanded of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to declare it null and void to hold re-polling in their respective union councils. Addressing a news conference here in Peshawar Pres Club (PPC), ANP candidate for district council from Union Council No.3 Mahal Tirai, Mian Tariq Shah and JUI-F candidate for town council, Nek Mohammad said that the provincial government of PTI has established new records of electoral rigging and violated the sanctity of vote through its cronies.
Mohammad Wisal of ANP, Asad (QWP), general secretary JUI-F, Town-I, Peshawar, Nasir Mohmand and a large number of the workers of PPP, ANP, JUI-F, QWP and PML-N were also present on the occasion. They accused the provincial government of stealing the mandate of the people of Union Council No.3. They said that already stamped ballot papers were handed to women and men to put in ballot boxes. The supporters of PTI were openly stamping ballot papers and the polling agents were not issued the copy of the results.
They further alleged that after midnight the PTI candidates in presence of senior police officials in collaboration with the presiding officer of the female polling station were preparing results and also claimed the possession of a video clip in this regard. Earlier, the workers of ANP, PPP and QWP staged a joint demonstration against rigging in the local bodies' polls of May 30, 2015.
The political workers were carrying placards inscribed with slogans against rigging in different union councils of the provincial metropolis. Haroon Bilour of ANP and Akbar Khan of PPP addressed the protestors. Similarly, district and town council candidates from Union Council No.29, Deha Bahadar also condemned rigging in local bodies' polls and demanded re-polling. They alleged the polling of additional votes than actual number of votes in their union council.
A general council candidate from Village Council Barmoli, Union Council, Tehsil Rajjar, Swabi, and Nowsher Khan also alleged rigging in his union council by the supporters of Awami Jamhoori Ittehad (AJI) and some other political parties. Meanwhile, the losing candidates from Union Council (UC)-54 Mashu Gugar has alleged that the winning candidate used a big amount and demonstrated vandalism to win the Local Government (LG) elections and demanded re-elections in the UC under supervision of Pak army. Rejecting the 30th LG elections in UC 54, they demanded for re-elections in the UC under supervision of army so that vandalism and utilisation of money could be avoided and a free-fair and transparent elections be held.