ISLAMABAD - It was for the first time in the history of Pakistan that turnout exceeded 55 per cent during recently held elections.
However, females were once again barred from voting in some parts of country, including Orakzai Agency, where allegedly male voters cast votes on behalf of females who were forced by local elders to remain in doors.
“In NA-39, female voters were forced to remain inside homes rather males cast votes on their behalf contrary to rules and regulations of the Election Commission of Pakistan,” residents of Orakzai Agency told TheNation.
Sources told TheNation that contestant reached a secret settlement a couple of days before the election aimed to bar women from voting. It was according to their plan that males cast votes on behalf of their females and presiding officers deputed at polling stations of   the area helped them openly.
According to the result announced former minister Syed Ghazi Gulab Jamal won the seat but Jawad Hassan, the losing candidate, submitted an application in the Election Commission of Pakistan against the winning candidate and levelled serious rigging allegations.
Jawad appealed to the ECP to hold re-elections in the constituency, a demand still unheard seriously. In his plea, Jawad alleged that massive rigging was carried out in most of the polling stations across the Orkazai Agency as he put its entire blame squarely on the winning candidate.
Talking to The Nation, wining candidate from NA-31 Syed Ghazi Gulab Jamal rejected the allegations of election’s rigging, saying if his opponents had any evidence of rigging then they should produce it before the ECP instead of merely hurling allegations. He said law enforcement agencies had been monitoring the process of electioneering in the Orkazi Agency very minutely.
Despite trying several times, Political Agent and Returning Officer of Orkazai Agency Mehmood Aslam were not available for comments.
PTI protests Zehra’s killing: Staff Reporter from Khyber Agency adds: PTI Landi Kotal chapter on Tuesday held a protest demonstration outside Landi Kotal Press Club against the killing of party senior leader Zehra Shahid in Karachi.
The protest rally was organised under the auspices of PTI Youth Wing and was attended by number of the party workers and local elders.
Holding placards and banners inscribed with demands to arrest the killers of senior party leader in Karachi. The protesters chanted slogans against MQM and its leader Altaf Hussain.  The rally was led by PTI Youth Wing leaders Shahid Shinwari, Ghulam Haider Afridi and tribal elders Malik Khurishid and Dil Jan.
Addressing on the occasion, they alleged MQM Altaf Hussain for murdering PTI leader Zehra Shahid. The protesters demanded the supreme court to take notice of the incident and bring the culprits to justice and provide security to PTI workers.
They also asked the chief justice to bring MQM leader Altaf Hussain to Pakistan and try him in the murder case of Zehra Shahid and award exemplary punishment to him.