The by-elections in PB-50 constituency of Qila Abdullah of Balochistan have been marred by violence and disruptions, with armed men storming a polling station in the Majak area and firing indiscriminately, leading to the suspension of polling activities.
Reports from the area indicate that armed individuals entered a polling station in the Majak area carrying modern weapons and opening fire inside, causing chaos and panic among voters and election officials.
The incident forced authorities to halt the polling process to ensure the safety of all individuals present at the site.
Separately, Pashtunkhwa Mili Awami Party's Mirwais Achakzai has alleged that the staff of five polling stations was abducted last night, expressing fears that similar incidents may have occurred at other polling stations also. He further claimed that the accused might have taken away crucial election materials, including ballot papers, also.
Efforts to address these serious issues are underway, with Achakzai calling for the recovery of the abducted election staff and provision of adequate protection to them. The chief election commissioner and relevant authorities have been apprised of the situation, he said further.
The re-polling was ordered in this constituency following concerns over irregularities in the previous general election of February 8. The re-polling pits Mirwais Khan of the Pashtunkhwa Mili Awami Party against ANP's Zamarak Khan Achakzai.
According to the district returning officer (DRO), a total of 125 polling stations have been established, with 74 of them identified as highly sensitive.
