SHEIKHUPURA: A man and his nephew were killed while dozens of others sustained injuries during polling in the local body elections in Punjab on Thursday.

Reports said that Sohail of Nangal Sadhan village near Muridke shot dead his uncle Bashir when he refused to cast vote in favour of his favourite candidate in UC 15. Later, Sohail ended his life with the same pistol.

The Muridke police claimed that the incident was the outcome of a monetary dispute between the uncle and his nephew.

While the neighbours claimed that the main reason was the ‘honour killing’ factor.

Around two dozen people, including women, suffered bullet injuries, four of them serious, when the henchmen of two rival candidates opened fire on each other in UC-25, Kot Pindi Daas.

Police arrested 10 people and the polling was postponed in the union council due to riot and violence.

Four people were injured when activists of the PTI and PML-N attacked each other with sticks and iron bars in Safdarabad. Police arrested seven of them.

In UC-17 near Muridke, some unidentified people stormed into a polling station of women, held the duty staff hostage and escaped after taking away ballot boxes in the presence of police.

In UC-42 near Sharqpur, presiding officer Javed was caught-red handed by the assistant commissioner when he was returning home with the stationery given for election purposes.

He said he tried to take advantage of poor monitoring and security at the polling station.

In Khanqah Dogran, police arrested a woman, Naziran Bibi, and registered a case against her for casting the vote of a dead woman.

GUJRANWALA: More than two dozen workers of the PTI and PML-N, including a Leaguer MPA and a constable, were injured in clashes at polling stations in the city and suburbs.

Reports said that PML-N and PTI workers quarreled with each other in Hafizabad where PML-N MPA Asadullah Arain, his driver Fazal Hussain and constable Sajid suffered bullet injuries.

Police arrested more than a dozen workers of the PTI and registered a case against them.

In Garjakh union council, supporters of the PML-N thrashed and injured PTI worker Ijaz Ahmad. He was admitted to the DHQ Hospital.

In UC-11 near Shan Marriage Hall, workers of the PML-N and PTI attacked each other with fists and clubs. Rangers and army personnel brought the situation under control.

Police claimed to have seized a Kalashnikov, an official G-3 gun, 10 magazines, around 100 cartridges and a van and a car of a ruling party MNA.

Civil Lines SP Nadim Khokher said it was the constituency of MNA Mehmood Bashir Virk and the car belonged to Leaguer aspirant Rana Tariq. He said police arrested drivers Faisal and Hamid.

A clash between workers of PML-N aspirant Pomi Butt and independent candidate Azam was also reported in UC-22.

Clashes were also reported in UC-60 (Mandiala Tega) and UC-75 (Naushera Virkan).

Saddar SP Dr Rizwan Ahmad said that dozens of people were arrested and cases were registered against them.

TOBA TEK SINGH: The overall situation remained peaceful except for a few incidents of clashes and violations at polling stations in the city and the district.

Supporters of an independent candidate injured a man of opponents in Chak 295-GB (Barianwala)

In Kamalia’s ward No 13, three PML-N activists were injured seriously in a clash with PTI supporters. Kamalia police arrested some PTI activists.

In Christian Colony, two persons were injured when two groups of a community attacked each other at polling station.

Former MNA Riaz Fatyana and PTI leader Chaudhry Ashfaq alleged the polling staff and the ruling party were involved in massive rigging.

Published in Dawn, November 20th, 2015