LAHORE, Feb 11: The Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaaf’s intra-party elections in Lahore district union councils on Monday witnessed election frenzy besides firing incidents at two locations and numerous complaints about mistakes in voter lists, location of polling booths, mobile networking and codes of candidates.

The Unity group led by Ahsan Rasheed and Abdul Aleem Khan as well as Ideology Group led by Ijaz Chaudhry and Dr Yasmin Rashid claimed victory in most union councils. Singer Ibrarul Haq, who is leading the Youth and Women Tsunami Change Movement, did not make any claim. “We are waiting for the results and cannot say anything right now,” Ibrarul Haq said.

Besides unopposed victories in many UCs by the two leading groups, they will be having mixed panels in 113 UCs, where intra-party election was conducted on the basis of popularity vote.

The election frenzy grew tense in Awan Town and Sabzazar union councils, from where firing was also reported. The Unity group’s two workers reportedly sustained fire arm injuries in Awan Town UC.

Out of 168 union councils in Lahore district, election took place at 113 UCs and polling continued till 6pm. Each voter was allowed to cast two votes -- one each for male and female candidates in respective UCs. “This popularity-based election will elect 13 candidates in each UC – president, senior vice-president, two vice-presidents, general secretary, joint secretary, information secretary, finance secretary, joint secretary women affairs and four women seats,” said PTI Punjab intra-party election commissioner Shadab Jafri.The voters, who polled their votes at polling booths, said the process was tiring and lengthy as voters had to wait for their turn. Each voter was required to call a Karachi number, type his identity card number and upon confirmation the voter was able to write his favourite candidate’s code number and then press hash (#) to poll the vote. This process was repeated for polling vote for a woman candidate.

When contacted, Ideology Group’s Dr Yasmin Rashid said the group had swept elections unopposed in 65 UCs in Lahore district and expected a heavy mandate in 113 UCs.

Abdul Aleem Khan said the Unity Group had won almost 63 per cent seats with clean sweep in 37 UCs in Lahore district and expected mixed panels in 25 UCs. He said the group lost election in 23 UCs. He said the Unity Group had also won majority of women seats.

PTI’s Punjab intra-party election commissioner Shadab Jafri said the elections results for intra-party elections across Punjab would be announced on Tuesday (today).

Mr Jafri admitted that he had received complaints about clashes from a number of union councils including firing incidents from Awan Town and Sabzazar UCs. He said that he had also received a number of complaints on voter lists, location of polling booths, mobile networking at booths and candidates’ codes.

In the next phase, Mr Jafri said the intra-party elections at tehsil and district level across Punjab would be held on Feb 26 having UCs’ elected candidates as its electoral roll. The Punjab election commissioner announced that candidates for tehsil and district level seats should submit their nominations on Feb 13 (tomorrow), 14 and 15. The election commission will scrutinize and finalise the candidates on Feb 16 and 17. The candidates will also be allowed to withdraw their nominations during these two days.

In the next phase, the regional level elections will be held on March 13 and finally provincial level elections on March 14. All the elected candidates from UCs to provincial level will take oath of their offices at a PTI convention at Minar-i-Pakistan ground on March 23. PTI chief Imran Khan will administer the oath.