SARTAJ DEMANDS POSTPONEMENT OF POLLING
CHITRAL: Tehsil Nazim Chitral Sartaj Ahmed Khan has demanded of the Election Commission of Pakistan to postpone the polling of the general election 2008 to April 15 so that maximum number of electorates could be able to use their rights of franchise. Addressing a press conference here on Saturday, he said that the severe and harsh weather in Chitral will debar the people from attending the polling stations and the turn out of voters is feared to be abysmally low. He said that the more than 36 valleys in the district will be closed for vehicular traffic only after a snowfall of one hour and this is expected anytime in the winter season. He said that the road and infrastructure in the district have already been destroyed as a result of the last year’s snowfall and avalanches and more than 70 jeep able suspension bridges have been washed away. Mr. Sartaj said that it will be next to impossible for the residents of the distant valleys to approach the polling stations. He apprehended that in case of snowfall, it will not be possible even to transport the polling materials to the polling stations. He said that the women will surely miss their chance of exercising their rights of vote if the polling held in the month of January. To a question he said that all the political parties are fully agreed to the rescheduling of the polling date and the request must be earnestly taken into consideration due to the ground realities. Enumerating the other factors, he said that the a large fraction of the youth folk throng to the down districts to seek employment with the arrival of winter season here and return in the early days of April.