Sindh cancels ECP staff Eid holidays as vote recount in NA-249 continues.

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has announced that the vote recount in NA-249 by-poll will continue during Eid holidays, and has also cancelled holidays of the provincial staff of the commission, a private TV channel reported.

The ECP has decided that its provincial offices with necessary staff will remain open as vote recount will continue even during the Eid holidays. The commission has issued a notification to cancel Eid holidays as offices of the returning officer and district returning officer will remain open.

The recounting of votes in NA-249 by-election continued on the second day on Friday despite boycott by all political parties except the Pakistan People's Party (PPP). As per reports, votes polled at 12 polling stations were recounted on Friday. So far, the recounting of 72 polling stations has been completed by the ECP staff.

On Thursday, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP) and Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) had boycotted the vote recount, claiming that the returning officer (RO) had failed to provide the Form 45 and Form 46 and that the seals of the ballot bags were also broken. Speaking to media on Thursday, PML-N candidate Miftah Ismail had claimed that the RO had refused to give the Form 45 and Form 46, adding that a full audit was also refused. "Unused ballots were not counted and signatures weren't shown either," he claimed. "When we asked why there was no seal on the first ballot bag brought in, we were told that it might have fallen down," he had said. "I am not boycotting the recount alone. The MQM, the PSP and the PTI have all come out," he had said. "Is this Hitler's Germany?" he had asked, adding that the party...