- At least 16 people killed in election violence in Sindh and Punjab while polling in other districts of both provinces remained largely peaceful except some incidents of scuffles, mismanagement
- PML-N sweeps Punjab, bags 143 seats in Lahore to win simple majority
- PPP leading in Sindh with 70 seats followed by 23 seats of chairmen bagged by Independent candidates
At least 16 people were killed in election-related violence in Sindh and Punjab as the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) gained overall lead in Punjab province while the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) is leading the race in Sindh as unofficial results poured in of the first phase of the local bodies elections.
Polling ended in 20 districts of Sindh and Punjab with reports of at least 15 deaths in clashes in Khairpur district of Sindh and in Faisalabad and Sargodha districts in Punjab.
In other districts of Punjab and Sindh, polling was by and large peaceful except for stray incidents of allegations of vote rigging, clashes between supporters of rival candidates and mismanagement by the polling staff.
According to unofficial results available at the time of filing of this report, the ruling PML-N had bagged 144 seats of chairman, PTI, followed by 16, PML 5, PPP 1 while Independent candidates secured 33 seats.
In Lahore, the PML-N is leading the race with 72 seats, followed by PTI’s 6, PPP’s 1 while five seats were won by Independent candidates from the results of 84 UCs out of 274.
SINDH POLLING:
In Sindh, polling was held in Sukkur, Khairpur, Shikarpur, Kashmore, Ghotki, Qamber, Larkana, Shahdadkot and Jacobabad.
According to unofficial results from 94 UCs out of 472, PPP has bagged 70 seats of chairmen, PML-Functional 2, JUI-F 3 while Independent candidates bagged 23 seats.
Police and rescue sources said 12, people including a SHO, and workers of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), and Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F) died and about 50 others were injured in violent clashes between rival political groups during the polling process. Five accused, including candidates, were arrested.
The clash started between Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) workers and PML-F activities belonging to Farooqi and Junejo communities at polling station-2 and two other polling stations at Village Wayio Jaunejo of UC Daraza Sharif.
Both groups fought with sophisticated weapons, wooden clubs and stones. At least people 11 people were killed while 12 others were injured in clashes at Daraza Sharif alone.
Ranipur police said a large contingent of police was rushed to control the situation. However, villagers told reporters that situation was very critical and the police did not intervene. They said the villagers shifted the injured and dead bodies themselves.
However, Rangers and police cordoned off the area. All polling stations were declared ‘most sensitive’ by the district administration of Khairpur.
There were also minor clashes in Jacobabad, Sukkur and a few other places in the interior of Sindh but the situation was not allowed to go out of control by the police and Rangers.
Moreover, Shikarpur saw its fair share of violence. According to reports, more than 42 persons were wounded in the clashes that took place between rival groups during the polling at about more than 15 polling stations.
Besides the polling process was stopped at many of the polling stations after the clashes occurred; however, it was resumed after the gap of some hours.
The injured were referred to nearby hospitals for medical treatment. Assistant Presiding Officer (APO) Shahmir Abbasi was reported involved in casting bogus votes at a polling station in Dakhan. He was taken to police custody.
In certain districts voting began with some delay, reports of mismanagement were received from Khairpur, Shikarpur and Ghotki where polling did not begin as scheduled due to the late arrival of the polling staff. The ballots were also unavailable at some stations.
PUNJAB POLLING:
Polling in Punjab was held in Lahore, Faisalabad, Gujrat, Chakwal, Bhakkar, Nankana Sahib, Kasur, Pakpattan, Okara, Lodhran, Vehari and Bahawalnagar districts.
Sporadic clashes between activists from rival parties were reported in Faisalabad, Lodhran, Kasur, Gujrat and Lahore. The police, however, used its power to control the situation.
At least three people were killed and two others were wounded when a clash broke out between two rival groups in Sargodha district.
The clash occurred in Shahpur tehsil of Sargodha. According to reports, two rival groups resorted to firing at a polling station, resulting in the death of three people.
The army was called in Gujrat to control the situation. At some stations, polling was suspended due to arguments of rigging and other malpractices and restored after the objections were settled. In Bhakkar 12 people were injured in clashes between the supporters of rival candidates.
Moreover, firing at a PTI rally in Faisalabad resulted in the death of one activist.
A scuffle broke out between supporters of Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah and senior Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader Abid Sher Ali.
According to a private media outlet, the scuffle got underway when supporters of Sanaullah shoved Abid Sher Ali at a UC-116 polling station during the local governments elections. Police and Rangers personnel rushed and brought the situation under control.
In Okara, PTI’s Ashraf Sohna was arrested while a PPP lawmaker in the city slapped the election official after an intense argument.
Separately in Kasur, polling temporarily stopped after supporters of two independent candidates scuffled inside polling station Nathuwala in UC-8.
In Lahore’s Johar town UC-115 a quarrel erupted between female voters of PTI and PML-N over who will vote first. Voters from opposing parties also fought in Vehari’s People’s Colony. In UC-185 and UC-231 voting was suspended due to misprinting of the electoral symbols for PML-N voters. In Faisalabad violence left three people injured.
The Punjab police have arrested 96 accused and registered cases against 36 people over violations of the code of conduct issued by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) regarding local bodies elections on Saturday.
According to a spokesperson for Punjab police, six people were arrested in Lahore, six in Kasur, 23 in Okara, 28 in Nankana, three in Pakpattan, two in Faisalabad, 24 in Gujrat, three in Vehari and one in Bhakkar.
Meanwhile, as many as 30 cases were registered against violators, including six in Lahore, three Kasur, six Okara, four Nankana, two Pakpattan, one Faisalabad, four Lodhran, one Bhakkar and three in Vehari.
ELECTION COMMISSION REACTS:
Secretary Election Commission (EC) Babar Yaqoob Fateh Muhammad on Saturday visited the monitoring room established in ECP Islamabad for the surveillance of local bodies polls.
While talking to media, he said that at least 192,000 polling staff has been deployed and more than 20,000 polling stations have been established for the first phase of LB polls.
He informed that some complaints are being received regarding the non-registration of votes but the issue cannot be resolved in one day.
Babar Yaqoob said that some candidates are demanding the deployment of Rangers at polling stations in Sindh.
He barred the presiding officers from preparing the results of LB polls before 5 pm and termed the process illegal. Results cannot be organized before fixed time despite the consent of the polling agents, he added.