PESHAWAR: Pakistan Tehreek-iInsaf Chairman Imran Khan on Thursday said biometric system would be used on trial basis in Peshawar tomorrow (Saturday) after his party-led government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had decided to apply it in the upcoming local body elections.

Addressing a news conference here, the PTI chairman said theElection Commission of Pakistan would conduct the trial of the new technology in Peshawar`s constituencies in line with the PTI government`s endeavour to apply biometrics system during the next local body elections in the province.

`We are bringing biometrics [system] in the local body election to end the casting of fictitious votes, he said.

According to a handout issued by the provincial information department, the ECP will arrange a `demonstration poll with application of biometrics system on December 28` in two local councils, including village council Budhai, ward Wadpaga and neighborhood council Sarbiland Pura, ward Khalisa-1, Peshawar district.`The trial polls with the application of the new system will be conducted from 8am to 4pm.

The PTI chairman said the biometrics system would end `ballot stuffing` in the local council elections.

`We are inviting judicial officers to come and supervise the local body elections because we will not conduct the elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa under the supervision of administrative officers,` he said, adding that PTI would contact the judiciary to take over the responsibility of conducting polls.

He said the judiciary`s involvement was a must as his party PTI did not want to follow the Punjab model.

Mr Imran said opposition partiesin Punjab were crying foul against the provincial government`s manipulative tactics to rig local government polls.

He invited opposition parties in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to put forward their reservations, if any, about the recent delimitation exercise in the province.

`Come and sit with us, we will positively look into your complaints in an effort to ensure judicious and transparent local government elections in the province,` he said.

However, both the PTI chief and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervez Khattak, who was also in attendance, were non-committal, when asked about the possible schedule of the local body elections in the province.Mr Khattak said ECP had asked the provincial government to inform it about the possible dates.

`We will meet them on January 15 to discuss the issue, informing them about the date,` said Mr Khattak.

However, Mr Khan said a couple of months` delay won`t cause a loss.

`Holding flawed elections will not be useful whereas the use of biometrics will bring about a quantum change in the province,` he said, emphasising his party`s desire to introduce the technology.

`I was the first one who propagated the introduction of neutral empires in the international cricket and, again, I would be the one who would ensure neutral elections [using biometric system] in Pakistan,` said Mr Imran, terming the last general elections the `most rigged and flawed` polls in the country`s history.

Mr Imran appeared unrelenting in his party`s stance over the suspension of Nato supplies in the province.

`Under no circumstances we will end Nato supplies blockade until drone strikes were ended,` he said, adding that all coalition partners were on the same page in their stand against drone strikes and the Nato supplies` disruption.

The PTI chairman said investment would not come to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa unless peace was restored.

`In a year before we formed the government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa a total of 172 terrorist attacks were carried out in the province in comparison with 88 in the federally administered tribal areas and 100 in the rest of the country,` he said, adding that no one would invest in a place that lacked peace.

Mr Imran also flayed the federal government over its policy vis-à-vis drone attacks in the country.

`Chuck Hagel [US Secretary Defence] gave a warning to us in his recent visit to Pakistan,` he said.

`I want to ask a simple question: whether we have moved troops in Fata to fight our war or your [US] war.

The PTI chairman said [economic] prosperity would not be possible in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa without restoring peace for which PTI was exerting pressure on USA to end drone strikes.

`We are talking about restoration of peace by holding negotiations and they [US admin] use drones to spoil our efforts,` he said.

Also, Mr Imran said the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government was ready to take over Peshawar Electric Supply Company if it was handed over the local power generation system, too.

`We have offered the federal government that we are ready to take over Pesco`s electricity distribution and billing system if power generation is also transferred to us,`he said.

The PTI chairman said Asad Umar (PTPs economic wizard and a member of the National Assembly from Islamabad) would explain in detail the figures involved in taking over the power distribution company.

`Asad Umar will hold a news conference on Friday to substantiate the offer with the help of figures,` he said.

Mr Imran said if Pesco along with power generation was handed over to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, it would positively impact the province and the country would also benefit.