Polling underway in LG by-election for two Tehsil Mayors in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

PESHAWAR/ABBOTTABAD: Amid robust security arrangements, the polling is underway in the by-elections for the vacant slots of two mayors in Peshawar’s Mathra tehsil and Abbottabad’s Havelian tehsil in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, according to officials on Sunday.

The polling started amid elaborate security measures at 8 am and will continue without break till 5 pm.

The slot of Peshawar’s Mathra tehsil major had fallen vacant following the demise of Faridullah from JUI (F). A total of six candidates are in the run for the slot in Mathra tehsil. They include Rafiullah of the JUI (F), Inamullah of the PTI, Iftikhar Ahmed of the Jamaat-i-Islami, Aziz Ghaffar Khan of the Awami National Party, Ali Abbas Khan of the PPP and Fazlullah of the PML (N). A close contest is expected on the seat.

In Havelian tehsil, PML (N)’s Malik Talha, PTI’s Iftikhar Khan and independent Uzaur Sher are in the race for the mayor slot. The position had fallen vacant following the assassination of incumbent major Atif Munsif.

In Mathra tehsil, a total of 155 polling stations with 496 polling booths have been set up in Mathra Tehsil Council for 218,630 registered voters. Authorities have marked 84 polling stations as “most sensitive” and 57 as “sensitive” in the area.

In Havelian tehsil, 134 polling stations with 392 polling booths have been set up. The number of registered voters in Havelian is 165,800. Authorities have marked 40 polling stations as “most sensitive” and 25 as “sensitive” in the area. Senior police officials confirmed the deployment of security forces at polling stations and in both constituencies to maintain law and order and guarantee a peaceful voting. – compiled from dispatches from our reporters/News Agencies