KARACHI: The party that grabs more than 105 union committees will be able to clinch the mayor slot. The Muttahida Quami Movement has fielded its candidates in 174 UCs only. The Jamaat-i-Islami and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf alliance fielded candidates in 203 out of the total 209 UCs, while the Pakistan Peoples Party fielded its candidates only in 188 UCs. The key contenders in this contest are considered to be the MQM, PTI, JI and the PPP.
Officials in the provincial election commission said originally there were 1,520 constituencies up for grabs in Karachi. Of them, candidates on 48 seats returned unopposed, they added.
Some 7.08 million voters will elect chairmen and vice chairmen for 209 union committees and 38 union councils, which offer seats for 988 general members, 38 district council members and 494 women members for both union committees and union councils.
Amid extraordinary security, more than seven million people will cast their votes to elect 5,401 candidates vying for 1,472 seats across the metropolis amid charged atmosphere during the final phase of LG elections in Sindh today.
The districts in Sindh are Karachi West, Karachi East, Karachi South, Karachi Central, Korangi and Malir. The highest number of sensitive polling stations is in Karachi West where only 43 of the 937 have been declared ‘normal’, and among the rest 497 are ‘highly sensitive’ and 396 sensitive. There are 247 union committees and councils in the city with 7,083,066 voters — 4.06 million men and 3.01m women.
The ECP has given special powers to Sindh Rangers and army which will form the second and third tiers of security in sensitive polling areas.
Officers in charge of army and Rangers performing security duties were vested on Friday with the powers of first class magistrate. The paramilitary Rangers will have the authority to enter polling stations and take preventive action, including arrest and detention, whenever required.
The Sindh government has deployed 35,057 policemen to provide security to 4,037 polling stations, 93 per cent of which have been declared sensitive.
Some 7,400 Rangers personnel and 10 companies of the army each comprising 80 soldiers would be there patrolling the areas to ensure that the city is secure during the mammoth electoral exercise.
