APML, PPP men set for final battle in seven polling stations

BOONI, April 12: As all set to hold the re-polling in the seven polling stations of upper Chitral’s provincial assembly seat of PK-90 on April 13 (Sunday), a large number of central leaders of both the PPP and the APML have landed in the area to woo the voters. The re-polling will start at 8am and end at 5pm after which the counting of the ballots will begin. an official of the Election Commission of Pakistan in Chitral town said that all arrangements had been made and election materials dispatched to teh polling stations to hold the re-polling. “This is a worst ever election I have seen in my whole life. This is a battle which has pitched even members of a single family against each other. This is the election in which the dirty game of money is at its worst. This is worst election I can say again and again,” said an old man who said his name should not be published. As the countdown began to the re-election, PTI leader Azam khan Swati ended his visit to the area and moved to the Chitral town. During his visit to the area, he announced a number of development promises including the establishment of 45 power stations in Chitral and carving out a new district in upper Chitral. Besides him, other PTI leaders like MPA Fouzia Bibi were also in the area. But the PPP was not far behind as its key leaders including former federal minister Najamuddin Khan and MPA Saleem Khan were still in Booni and have been campaigning for their candidate Sardar Hussain. An election commission official at the ECP Chitral office told ChitralToday that as many as 17 polling booths had been set up in the seven polling stations – 10 for males and seven for females. He said there were total 5,032 registered voters in the seven stations – 2,836 males and 2,196 females. The names of the seven polling stations and the number of registered voters in each station are as under: Government High School Barum, Owir Bala, males 541, females 452; Govt Primary School Zizdi, males 284 and females 172; Govt Middle School Sor Rech, males 645, females 445; Govt Girls High School Booni, males 536, females 468; Govt Primary School Charun-Owir, males 345, females 294; Govt Primary School Awi Lasht, males 194, females 141, and Govt Primary School Mastuj, male voters 292 and female voters 224. It may be recalled that in the May 11, 2013, general elections, PPP candidate Sardar Hussain was ahead by 22 votes against Ghulam Muhammad of the APML in the seven polling stations where re-polling is to be held. Sardar Hussain had scored 713 and Ghulam Muhammad 693 votes in these seven polling stations. The detail of the votes scored by the two men on May 11, 2013 is as under. ‘Polling station No 6 (Govt High School Barum) Sardar Hussain 22, Ghulam Muhammad 72; PS No 30 (Govt Primary School Zizdi) Sardar Hussain 13 and Ghulam Muhammad 77, PS 56 (Rech Bala) Sardar Hussain 102 and Ghulam Muhammad 217, PS 61 (Govt Girls’ High School Booni), Sardar Hussain 401, Ghulam Muhammad 136, PS 65 (Govt primary School Charun-Oveer) Sardar Hussain 55, Ghulam Muhammad 99, PS 80 (Govt Primary School Awi Lasht) Sardar Hussain 50, Ghulam Muhammad 28 and PS No 89 (Govt Primary School Mastuj) Sardar Hussain 70 and Ghulam Muhammad 64. Ghulam Muhammad had won the seat of PK-90 by seven votes and his runner-up Sardar Hussain of the PPP challenged his victory in the election tribunal. The tribunal after recounting the rejected and postal ballots ordered re-polling in the seven stations as Sardar Hussain was shown leading with just one vote.  ]]>