PTI leads in mismanaged KP polls

• Seven, including independent candidate Saifur Rehman Gujjar, killed in incidents of violence, polling suspended at various stations during largely mismanaged local bodies election in KP
• Per unofficial results, PTI claims 46 seats, ANP 16, JUI-F 11, JI 3, PML-N 15, PPP 3, while independent candidates claimed 60 slots

As many as seven people, including an election candidate, died while several others were injured in incidents of clashes, crossfire and scuffles as local bodies (LB) elections proceeded in various districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) on Saturday.

Per reports, three people were killed in Charsadda, two in Dera Ismail Khan and another lost his life during clashes in Kohat as the LG polls in KP witnessed mismanagement, poor security measures and conflicts between different rival groups in different parts of the province which hampered the polling process.

Polling for the largest LG elections in the history of KP took place across the province in which citizens voted to elect 41,762 councillors in the three tiers of local councils. According to unofficial results, PTI claimed 46 seats, ANP 16, JUI-F 11, JI 3, PML-N 15, PPP 3, while independent candidates claimed 60 seats.

Strict security arrangements were made to ensure a smooth polling process with some 86,115 security personnel deployed at the polling stations. However, due to poor law and order situation across the province, polling in various stations was suspended.

VIOLENCE MARS POLL:

Per details, crossfire between two groups resulted in independent candidate Saifur Rehman Gujjar’s death in UC Majohan of Abbottabad while three others were injured. About 20 people were also injured during crossfire between the supporters of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP).

Similarly, incidents of clashes between rival groups and exchange of fire were also reported from different polling stations of Mardan, Swat, Kohat, DI Khan, Nowshera and Malakand and Hazara divisions, while in Swabi, the security was handed over to security forces after severe clashes between two rival groups.

Moreover, four people were left injured after a clash between Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and PPP workers in Ward 6 of Kark area.

Separately, PTI and Jamiat Ullema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) supporters fought in Hangu, resulting in injuring the JUI-F candidate Nasrullah. The supporters of JUI-F and PTI also had a clash in Government Primary School Number 1 in Nowshera.

Furthermore, in Tehsil Road area of Nowshera, Awami National Party (ANP) and PTI workers had a fight at women polling station and the situation was controlled by the police afterwards.

In Charsadda, the workers of Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) attacked a polling station and injured a policeman.

Moreover, a policeman was attacked by voters for casting fake votes in Abbottabad while in Chamad area of Abbottabad, clash between PTI and PML-N workers injured two people. Army was called in to control the situation afterwards.

Separately, various people received injuries when unidentified assailants fired shots on two women polling stations in UC Naspa and Regai areas.

Furthermore, people set ballot boxes on fire in Rashkai area while in polling station number 2 of Nowshehra, a mob broke ballot boxes. A voter broke a ballot box in Garhi Ismailzai area of Mardan as well.

The deputy commissioner of Nowshehra confirmed that angry workers of some political parties put the ballot papers on fire in reaction to alleged rigging during polling process, adding that security forces were summoned to control the situation besides supervising the polling and balloting process.

In Lower Dir, voters jumped inside a polling station over the closed gate, hampering the polling process.

POLLING SUSPENDED:

Polling was suspended in a number of stations in Peshawar, Mardan, Charsadda, Swat and Nowshera after ballot boxes and stations’ windows were broken.

The officials of provincial election commission confirmed that the polling process was hampered on various polling stations in different districts, adding the time for balloting could not be extended after 5pm.

In Swabi, polling was stopped in Girls High School polling station due to a clash between ANP and JI workers. Polling was also stopped in Bechamail area of Mansehra after a clash between PTI and ANP workers.

KP Inspector General Police (IGP) Nasir Khan Durrani took notice of the incidents and ordered registration of cases in areas where weapons were fired or ballot boxes were broken.

MISMANAGEMENT:

Moreover, polling could not be started on time at various polling stations while wrong voting symbols were also printed on several ballot papers which added to the suffering and misery of the contestants who registered their protests with the presiding officers.

It was reported that at several places, presiding officers ran away from the polling stations while enraged people broke or took away the ballot boxes and polling had to be suspended.

At many places people complained that it was taking more time for the voters to fix stamps at five to seven symbols and feared low turnout. They said that the Election Commission did not take into consideration that it was difficult to locate the symbols of their candidates in a short period of time and then stamp them.

They were of the opinion that more polling stations should have been opened or more booths would have been set up so that about 20 to 30 people would have been allowed to get ballot papers at a time and exercise their right to franchise.

WOMEN PARTICIPATION IN LG POLLS:

In the meanwhile, KP Minister for Local Government Inayatullah Khan said participation of women in the LG polls in the province was higher than the last general elections. He said women had been encouraged to exercise their right to vote and they turned up in a good number for selecting their representatives at the grassroots.

To a question about some reports that in certain localities of KP women were barred from casting votes, he said “Forcibly, neither women can be taken out for votes nor stopped from exercising their legitimate right.”

When asked about reported mismanagement at some polling stations, Inayatullah termed the LG polls a “big exercise” carried out after around a 10-year break. “No doubt that there were problems but not to that extent where legitimacy of the elections become questionable,” he said.

The minister said the provincial government had extended all possible facilities to the polling staff for smooth, free and fair elections.