Chief Election Commissioner Fakhruddin G Ibrahim said on Monday that investigations have begun into the seizure of 90,000 fake ballot papers recovered by police in Lower Dir.

“We are investigating the culprits behind the 90,000 fake ballot papers apprehended in Lower Dir by the local police. Rest assured I will take action,” the chief election commissioner said.Police on Sunday claimed recovering 90,000 ballot papers from a vehicle in Lower Dir’s Chakdara area.

DIG Malakand range Obaidullah Khan told sources that the police team had recovered and confiscated the ballot papers for NA elections during the search of a vehicle and that the papers were not carrying the seal of the Election Commission of Pakistan and therefore appeared fake.

Two persons were also taken into custody and were booked under sections 419, 420, 468 and 471 of the PPC.The fake ballot papers were meant for NA-34 constituency of Lower Dir.

Meanwhile, Secretary Election Commission Ishtiaq Ahmed hailed the action taken by the police team saying the preparation and transportation of ballot papers was being carried out under military supervision to minimise risk of ballots leakage and bogus voting.