Security personnel member in northwestern Pakistan killed in attack on election staff amid polls

By Islamuddin Sajid

ISLAMABAD (AA) - A security personnel member was killed in an attack on election staff in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province Thursday, said an official.

The attack occurred in the Kot Azam area of Tank district when unknown gunmen opened fire on a security team guarding the polling staff, the local police emergency center told Anadolu by phone.

Polling at Kot Azam station has been temporarily halted, it said.

Tank borders Waziristan district near the Afghan border.

Pakistan has closed its border with Afghanistan and Iran due to ongoing polling in the South Asian country.

Authorities have also suspended mobile phone services across the country after at least 29 people were killed in three separate bombings on Wednesday.

Around 128 million eligible voters are participating in general polls to elect a new parliament and four provincial assemblies in Pakistan for a term of five years.