Haripur: The Presiding Officer of the Labor Court has ordered the re-polling of the Haripur Press Club elections to be held on Wednesday, January 29, at the Haripur Press Club building. The Labor Court has also directed copies of the order to be sent to the Commissioner Hazara, DIG Hazara, Deputy Commissioner Haripur, DPO Haripur, and the President of the Haripur District Bar. Furthermore, the DPO Haripur has been instructed to clear the Haripur Press Club of outsiders, hand it over to the Election Commission, and ensure foolproof security arrangements.

It is noteworthy that the Peshawar High Court, Abbottabad Bench, had dismissed the petition filed by Hanif Akhtar and others on December 23, declaring them non-members of the Haripur Press Club. The court upheld the registration of the Haripur Press Club under the IRA and reinstated the decision of the Labor Court while directing transparent elections to be held on December 24.

However, during the polling process, the elections were disrupted due to the involvement of outsiders, leading to an incident where presidential candidate Shahid Akhtar Awan was assaulted, ballot boxes were broken, and ballot papers were snatched. Consequently, polling was halted.

In response, presidential candidate Zakir Hussain Tanoli, through renowned lawyer Raja Yasir Ayaz Kayani Advocate, submitted an application to the Presiding Officer of the Labor Court for re-polling.