TIMERGARA, May 6: Three accused arrested on charges of transporting ‘fake’ ballot papers were remanded into police custody for one day here on Monday.

The accused were produced before civil judge Chakdara and RO for PK-97 Alamgir Shah, who remanded them into police custody for one day, police told Dawn. Complainant in the case is assistant sub-inspector Fazal Hussain.

Meanwhile, as the arrested persons were alleged to have been workers of the JI, all major political parties in the district are using the issue to accuse the Jamaat of trying to rig the polls.

Addressing a press conference at Timergara Press Club, ANP Senator Zahid Khan and other leaders criticised the EC Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for not conducting proper investigation into the matter. He said the JI chief Syed Munawar Hassan should resign after the ‘involvement’ of his workers in ‘fake’ ballot papers’ case.

The ANP leader said party chief Asfandyar Wali Khan had raised the issue with the ECP which would investigate the matter. “A lot of questions about secrecy of ballot papers are now being raised,” he said, adding the ECP should satisfy the nation about the case.

Also, the PPP nominated candidate for NA-34 and former state minister Malik Azmat Khan demanded of the ECP to disqualify the JI candidates in Lower Dir for their ‘involvement’ in ‘fake’ ballot papers’ case.

On the other hand, JI’s district vice chief Izazul Mulk Afkari and other provincial leaders alleged anti-Jamaat-i-Islami elements had been active in hurling false and baseless accusations against the JI. They said the ECP and local police had clarified that those were not fake ballot papers but their samples to be used in voter education especially women.