Observers deployed by the Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) to observe the by-elections reported a total of 349 violations of the code of conduct and polling procedures till 2pm in and around polling stations in 15 National Assembly constituencies on Thursday.
FAFEN deployed 406 trained, non-partisan and ECP-accredited citizens to observe the by-elections. The observers generate objective information on the quality of elections that feed into research-based recommendations for improvement of future elections.
According to information collected by the observers, the most violations (58) were reported from Muzaffargarh (NA-177), followed by 45 violations from Lahore (NA-129), 33 from Swabi (NA-13) and 23 from Thatta (NA-237). In addition, the observers in Sargodha (NA-68) and Karachi (NA-254) reported 22 violations each. The lowest number of violations occurred in Hafizabad (NA-103), where only 13 were reported.
There were 48 instances of security personnel and presiding officers barring FAFEN observers from observing the electoral process. Nine such cases were reported from Karachi, followed by seven each from Sanghar and Islamabad, and five cases each from Peshawar, Lakki Marwat and Faisalabad. In addition, Muzaffargarh and Nowshera reported three cases of barring observers each, while one case each was reported from Swabi, Hafizabad, Lahore and Thatta.
Lahore DRO denied accreditation to FAFEN observers at all pushing observers to restrict their observation to outside polling stations.
FAFEN observers reported 12 cases where women were not allowed to poll their votes, in violation of the constitution, representation of the People’s Act 1976, International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). Nine such cases were reported from Nowshera while the remaining three were observed in Lakki Marwat.
In addition, 11 incidents of electoral violence were reported in seven constituencies. A clash was witnessed in Sanghar over the issue of barring minority voters from voting. In another incident, a clash between PTI and ANP workers resulted in suspension of polling for nearly two hours in Peshawar, while another clash between PTI and PML-N workers resulted in polling being suspended for 75 minutes in Mianwali (NA-71).
One of the observers reported seeing a clash between voters and media persons in Lahore, while another observer reported PML-N workers entering into verbal clash with policemen in Muzaffargarh. Moreover, two cases of violence were reported from Killa Abdullah (NA-262).
The observers also reported 70 cases where voters were given transport by candidates of contesting parties in 13 constituencies, in violation of ECP’s instructions. The most such cases were reported from Swabi and Lahore (13 each), with Thatta, Karachi and Mianwali reporting nine, eight and seven incidents respectively. Most of the candidates belonged to the three major contesting parties – PPPP, PML-N and PTI.
Additionally, FAFEN observers reported 47 cases where security officials were seen inside the polling stations. An overwhelming majority of such cases (23) was reported from Muzaffargarh, followed by six in Thatta and five each in Karachi and Swabi. Even though the Election Commission of
Pakistan (ECP) allowed security officials’ presence inside the polling station, such exercise is against the international standards and best practices of democratic elections.
There were nine cases in which the secrecy of candidates was compromised.
At five polling stations in Killa Abdullah voting started at around 11am, while polling was yet to begin at another two polling stations in the same constituency when FAFEN observer sent in the observation report at 1:20pm.
There was a two-hour delay recorded at two polling stations in Sargodha while at one polling station in Peshawar and another in Mianwali it started with a delay of around an hour.
Observers also reported 13 instances of polling starting half an hour late.
These included three instances from Peshawar, two each from Swabi, Islamabad and Karachi and one case each from Sargodha, Muzaffargarh, Sanghar and Killa Abdullah.
FAFEN observers also reported party/candidate camps established outside 56 polling stations within 400-meters-limit set by law. Eleven such cases were recorded at polling stations in Swabi, nine in Muzaffargarh, eight in Lahore and six each in Hafizabad and Thatta.
Another 17 cases of canvassing outside the polling stations were also observed. More than half of these (10) were in Lahore, three in Lakki Marwat, two in Sargodha and one each in Sanghar and Thatta.
There were seven cases of interference in polling, observers reporting PTI’s involvement in two incidents in Faisalabad and one in Sargodha. PML-N workers interfered in the polling process in Mianwali and Sargodha, while a JUI-F leader meddled with polling in Lakki Marwat and unidentified armed men interfered in Killa Abdullah.
Polling was disrupted at six polling stations – a bomb threat led to an interruption in two polling stations in Killa Abdullah. However, polling resumed at 11am. In two polling stations of Mianwali and a polling station each in Lakki Marwat and Sargodha, there was a suspension in polling until 2pm for reasons not known.
Four cases of elected representatives inside polling stations were reported from Muzaffargarh, while polling scheme was changed in two instances in Muzaffargarh and one each in Mianwali and Faisalabad.
Observers reported PML-N workers carrying weapons around a polling station in Lahore.
