17 killed in Pakistan poll violence

Poll-related violence continued in parts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan on Monday pushing the toll to 11 people killed in various districts.

Eight people were killed late on Sunday and over a dozen sustained injuries from gunfire during the announcement of local government elections results. According to sources, winning candidates were busy celebrating when unidentified gunmen opened fire, Dawn reported.

Meanwhile, three people were killed and five others were injured in a firing incident in the district of Kohat. According to sources, winning candidate Zabih Ullah was on his way to his area when unidentified gunmen opened fire.

Earlier on Saturday, six people were killed and 47 others were injured in clashes during voting for the local body elections.

A little over four years after the Awami National Party-led coalition government dissolved the local bodies in the province, 13 million voters from across Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa were expected on Saturday to elect 41,000 members in what in proportionate terms can rightly be described as Pakistan's biggest local government election exercise.

The last local government elections took place in the province in February 2005.