Pakistan: ECP orders re-polling in response to voting material snatching complaints

After verifying reports about voting materials being stolen and damaged, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) ordered re-elections at several polling locations around the country, as reported by Geo News.

As the 48-hour compilation process approaches, the poll organising body is nearing the end of its announcement of vote results, having successfully navigated all difficult periods of the February 8 countrywide elections.

Geo News reports that the commission addressed concerns from around the nation about instances of grabbing and destroying voting materials at different polling places, which forced local election officials to postpone voting procedures.

In a recent development, the top electoral body has scheduled re-polling at multiple polling stations on February 15. Results from these polling stations will be announced upon the completion of the re-polling event.

The list of constituencies and the number of polling stations are given below, in which re-polling was ordered, as per Geo News.

1. NA-88 Khushab-II — Punjab

Re-polling will take place at 26 polling stations following the destruction of voting materials by crowd of outrageous people.

2. PS-18 Ghotki-I –Sinh

Re-polling will be held in the constituency’s two polling stations after unidentified individuals snatched voting material on February 8.

3. PK-90 Kohat-I — Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

The ECP has mandated re-polling at 25 polling stations in the mentioned constituency due to damage caused to voting material by terrorists on election day.

Meanwhile, the electoral body has instructed the regional election commissioner to submit a probe report within three days regarding complaints of vandalism at a polling station in NA-242 Karachi Keamari-I-Sindh.

Previously, several parties with past parliamentary roles raised concerns about the credibility of the results following delays, despite assurances from the election commission regarding the timely release of official results.

Both the caretaker government and the top electoral body have disproved allegations of deliberate delay in compiling and releasing final results.