Polling ends for third phase of LG elections in Karachi, Punjab
KARACHI/RAWALPINDI/MULTAN: Polling has ended for the third and final phase of local government (LG) elections in Karachi and Punjab. The polling process in the metropolis was marred by isolated incidents of violence and mismanagement.
Earlier, polling for the third and final phase of local government elections in 12 districts of Punjab and six of Karachi began at 7.30am on Saturday amid tight security.
The Election Commission had rejected the request of several political parties to extend the polling time beyond 5.30pm.
Almost all the polling stations in the six districts of Karachi were declared ‘sensitive’ for security reasons, with only 234 of the 4,141 stations categorised as normal.
In the 12 districts of Punjab, 9,970 of the 14,012 polling stations were declared ‘normal’.
An 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.
Rangers put assistant presiding officer behind bars
Sindh Rangers arrested an assistant presiding officer on charges of bogus voting and sent him to prison while exercising magisterial powers given to them by the Election Commission.
The Rangers spokesperson said that the paramilitary force arrested Mohammed Zubair, an assistant presiding officer of UC-5 in Wilayatabad, Pak Colony, which was located in Alibhai Ibrahim School.
“Zubair was arrested red-handed.” He was detained on charges of helping others to cast bogus votes and was supervising this irregularity, the spokesperson added.
The official said that Rangers while exercising their magisterial power sent the accused to Central Prison for 14 days.
The Election Commission has established a control room in Islamabad which will work till the finalisation of election results.
MQM, PTI point out irregularities in Karachi
In a press conference Saturday afternoon, senior MQM leader Farooq Sattar said more than 50 polling volunteers from MQM have been attacked at 25 polling stations in Karachi.
In Landhi, he said, fake ballots are being cast, and despite repeated complaints, no institution responded or showed up for assistance.
"Around 25 polling stations have been taken over by unauthorised personnel," he said.
Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf's (PTI) Ali Zaidi, while present inside a polling station to cast his vote, told media personnel that not a single official was present inside.
He said political party agents from the PPP and the PTI were officiating the polling process, which was a blatant violation of rules.
Karachi: Rangers, police arrest fake polling staff
Pakistan Rangers (Sindh) claimed to have arrested three persons for posing as polling staff at Parsi school in Nishtar Park area, said a press release.
A fake presiding officer card was recovered from a man named Ashraf Abbas and a fake assistant presiding officer card from Muhammad Hassan, said the statement.
Another man arrested for posing as polling staff was Shah Zaman, an MQM worker of unit 51, PIB sector, said the paramilitary force.
Rangers using magisterial powers handed down three months in prison to the said persons, the handout added.
SSP-East, in a statement, said three fake polling officers at UC-27, who said they were appointed by the returning officer, were arrested.
Of the three men, Sajid Ali, is also an independent candidate, and had no official authority to preside as a polling officer at Kids Junior University Gulshan-e-Johar, where he was present, said police.
The other two men are Syed Muhammad Bakar and Muhammad Mehdi. A case is being registered against all three.
Clashes mar polling
Tensions ran high at various polling stations as supporters of political parties scuffled in several areas of the city including Landhi, Orangi and Soldier Bazaar.
At least 12 people were injured when a clash broke out between two rival groups in Landhi. Rangers personnel are patrolling the area in order to control the situation.
Several people were reportedly injured in a clash that broke out Chanesar Goth area.
Polling was halted at a polling station in Karachi's Gulistan-i-Jauhar area after a clash broke out between workers of two political parties.
Delays
Polling has not yet started in UC 31 of Malir's Ahsanabad area until after mid-day, DawnNews reported.
In the first hour, voting could not be started on time in almost 70 per cent of polling stations in Karachi.
Tight security
The battle for the Sindh capital will be the most keenly watched across the country.