Will bats, inkpots and scales leave tigers black and blue?

PML-N has a strong base in the city, but faces a tripartite alliance between PTI, JI, AML

RAWALPINDI: The ruling PML-N seems to have a solid footing ahead of today’s local government elections in the district, but opposition parties feel they can still win a majority. PTI, Jamaat-e-Islami and Sheikh Rashid’s Awami Muslim League have allied to knock over the PML-N.

For 45 union councils (UCs) in the municipal corporation, PML-N has fielded 44 candidates, followed by PTI’s 33, and six each of PPP and Jamaat-e-Islami. A total of 190 candidates are in the fray for 45 seats in the corporation.



The total number of registered voters in the district is nearly 2.3 million. The total registered voters in Rawalpindi Municipal Corporation are 570,631, while there are 101,908 in the Murree Municipal Corporation. Apart from these two corporations, there will be a district council, which will consist of all UC chairmen in rural areas, and five municipal committees - Gujar Khan, Kahuta, Kallar Syedan, Kotli Sattian, and Taxila.

As many as 1,762 polling stations have been set up. Of them, 350 have been declared ‘at risk’ and 114 as ‘high risk’.

A total of 1,762 polling officers and 4,465 assistant polling officers will oversee the polls. In addition, 14,500 ancillary staff have also been deputed. Polling and assistant polling officers were told to stay at polling stations overnight and ensure that the process starts on time.



Polling will start at 7:30am and will continue till 5:30pm.

Security arrangements

District Election Commissioner Muhammad Nadeem Zubair on Friday said all arrangements had been finalised. He said the election code of conduct will be strictly implemented and violators would not only be sent to jail, but also disqualified.

He, however, said that the district had requested for 20 companies of the Pakistan Army and 10 companies of rangers, against which only five companies of the army and two of the rangers had been provided.

The administration has also banned aerial firing, fireworks, display of arms and the use of loudspeakers. Conducting rallies has also been outlawed during the polls.

Survey records Nawaz’s approval rating at 75%

Elections delayed in 17 UCs

Meanwhile, elections have been delayed in 17 union councils of the district due to various court cases. These UCs include five each in Murree and Kotli Sattian, two each in Rawalpindi tehsil, Kahuta and Kallar Syedan, and in one UC of the municipal corporation.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 5^th, 2015.