RAWALPINDI: As many as nine elected representatives - seven from PML-N and two independents - took oath of their office as members of Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) on Tuesday.

The members were elected on general seats from nine wards while election on one ward was postponed due to death of a candidate. The election on Ward No 2 will be held later.

The opposition PML-N won seven seats and two independent candidates were elected as RCB members. Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf (PTI) was not able to get any seat from the 10 wards of RCB.

Two independent elected members were also from the PML-N in the last tenure (2015-2020) of the cantonment board.

On the other hand, the vice president will be elected after the election for two special seats, minority and labour, are conducted.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has issued the schedule and this election will be held on Oct 26.

The nine elected members will cast their votes for the two special seats.

After completion of the 12-member house, the station headquarters will nominate 12 more members from the military and civil bureaucracy and these 24 will work under the leadership of the station commander.

According to the schedule, Oct 6 will be the last date for submission of the nomination papers while scrutiny of the nomination papers will be held on Oct 7.

The last date for filing of appeal against the acceptance and rejection of nomination papers is Oct 9. Candidates will be given a chance to withdraw their names from the election by Oct 14 while election symbols will be allotted on Oct 15.

Meanwhile, a ceremony was held in the meeting hall of the RCB offices and Station Commander Brig Ijaz Qamar Kiani who is president of Rawalpindi and Chaklala cantonment boards administered the oath.

Speaking on the occasion, Brig Kiani appreciated the efforts of RCB Cantonment Executive Officer Mohammad Omar Farooq Ali Malik and his team for conducting free and fair elections and facilitating the polling staff, including local police.

He expressed the hope that the elected members would work for the cantonment areas’ residents without any discrimination and play their role to improve living standards while providing a conducive environment for traders.

Published in Dawn, October 6th, 2021