KARACHI: Voting time has concluded amid low turnout in the metropolis and different violent incidents during third and last phase of local government (LG) election in Sindh and Punjab provinces.
Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) organised most awaited LG election today in remaining 18 districts of both provinces including six districts of Sindh and 12 districts of Punjab.
Overall polling process was peaceful except few violent cases when political rivals clashes inside and around the polling stations. However, citizens witnessed uninterrupted polling process in the election except places where clashes were occurred between rival political parties.
In Sindh province, the districts include Karachi East, Karachi West, Karachi South, Karachi Central, Karachi’s Malir and Korangi while in Punjab, polling organised in Rawalpindi, Sialkot, Dera Ghazi Khan, Layyah, Khushad, Jhang, Rahim Yar Khan, Multan, Narawal, Rajanpur, Muzafargarh and Bahawalpur.
At least 10 cases were filed after arresting 27 persons over alleged irregularities during election in both provinces. Moreover, Rangers arrested three accused persons including a fake Presiding Officer (PO) during raid in a polling station at Nishtar Park of Karachi. Rangers’ spokesperson said that 14 accused persons were sent behind bars over involvement in irregularities amid polling process.
In the first hour, voting could not be started in almost 70 per cent of polling stations in Karachi. Delay in polling has also been reported in Multan and Jhang.
Almost all the polling stations in the six districts of Karachi have been declared ‘sensitive’ for security reasons, with only 234 of the 4,141 stations categorised as normal.
According to an official of the Election Commission, 1,791 polling stations in Karachi are being treated as highly sensitive, and 2,116 as sensitive, for the sake of maintaining law and order.
In the 12 districts of Punjab, 9,970 of the 14,012 polling stations have been declared ‘normal’. The official said 964 polling stations in the province were highly sensitive and 3,078 sensitive in the districts of Layyah, Rajanpur, Dera Ghazi Khan, Muzaffargarh, Rawalpindi, Jhang, Khushab, Multan, Sialkot, Narowal, Rahimyar Khan and Bahawalpur.
The polls in 16 union councils of Rawalpindi have been delayed on court orders.
