Holding re-elections is not child's play, says chief election commissioner

ISLAMABAD: Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sardar Raza Khan said Tuesday that holding elections again in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is not child's play.

Cautioning those speaking about re-polls, he said that any decision on whether or not to hold re-elections will be taken by the Election Commission.

The Chief Election Commissioner's statement comes after Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan announced that his party is ready to hold local bodies’ elections again in KP province in response to allegations of rigging by the opposition.

The CEC was hearing a case related to the rigging allegations today.

Brother of KP Chief Minister Pervez Khattak, Liaquat Khattak, who is accused of influencing the election process, appeared before the Election Commission today.

During the hearing, the chief election commissioner remarked that the eyes of the KP police were closed on the day of the recently held local bodies’ elections in the province.

He said that the law and order situation across the province was out of control on polling day.

Instead of supporting the polling staff, the provincial police continued to be influenced at the hands of others.

He said that, although he is otherwise proud of the KP police, the force did not help during the polls. He said that the Sindh police showed better performance during the recent by-elections in Karachi's NA-246.