3,807 women voted in PK-93 by-poll for first time: DRO

UPPER DIR (Staff Report) - As many as 3,807 female voters utilized their right to vote in PK-93 by-poll for the first time in last forty years, said District Returning Office (DRO) Amjad Ali on Wednesday.

In a statement the DRO said the constituency has 57,708 registered female voters however only 6% of them came out to cast votes in Tuesday's by-poll.

According to Amjad Ali 13 polling stations out of total 120 were specified for women and on a good note female voters cast votes in all of them.

Chabar polling station remained on top where 914 women voted while only 68 female voters came at Gambat polling station putting it to the bottom of list.

Earlier on Tuesday the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) candidate Sahibzada Sanaullah clinched a historic victory in Jamaat-e-Islami’s stronghold PK-93 Upper Dir in by-election, according to unofficial results.

PPP’s Sanaullah bagged 21,788 votes in all 120 polling stations whereas the Jamat-e-Islami candidate Azam Khan remained second with 14,617 votes. An overall voter turn out was recorded to be 34% in the by-poll.

As many as four candidates including two independents, Jamshed Khan and Shah Faisal, have been in the run for by-poll. Jamat-e-Islami’s Azam Khan was further backed by Pakistani Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) whereas PPP’s Sahibzada Sanaullah also enjoyed support of Awami National Party (ANP), Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and Jamiat Ulma-e-Islam-Fazal group.

The seat went vacant upon disqualification of former MPA Behram Khan of Jamaat-e-Islami for holding a fake degree in July this year.