PML-N scores hat-trick in Punjab LG polls

Ruling party ahead of the pack with 560 seats of union council chairman, closely followed by independents with 513

RAWALPINDI/ LAHORE:

The ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz has scored a hat-trick with an apparent lead in the third and final phase of the local government elections in Punjab on Saturday.

Consolidated with its wins in the previous two stages of the LG polls, the PML-N has maintained its dominance over the province. Unofficial and unconfirmed results of the third phase received until 1am put the ruling party ahead of the pack with 560 seats of the union council chairman, closely followed by independent candidates with 513 wins.



The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf managed to secure only 136 seats, followed by the Pakistan Peoples Party, the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid and the Jamaat-e-Islami with 31, 15 and two wins, respectively.

Polling was held in 12 districts of the province: Layyah, Rajanpur, Dera Ghazi Khan, Muzaffargarh, Rawalpindi, Jhang, Khushab, Multan, Sialkot, Narowal, Rahim Yar Khan and Bahawalpur.

In Rawalpindi, the PML-N has won the election to 31 of the 45 UCs, followed by eight seats by independents. The PTI, PPP and Awami Muslim League managed to win one seat each. Sheikh Rashid Shafique, close relative of AML chief Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, is the only candidate of the party to have won the election (from UC 40). In Rawalpindi’s rural areas, unofficial results of 10 of the 43 UCs show the PML-N in the lead with four seats, followed by independents, PTI and PPP with three, two and one seats, respectively.

Violence

Balloting was temporarily suspended in several districts because of violence. In Rawalpindi, Raja Shoaib Iqbal, a cousin of an independent candidate and nephew of former Punjab law minister Raja Basharat, was gunned down.



PML-Q central leader Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi termed the murder ‘open terrorism of the PML-N’. Moreover, Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah telephoned Basharat to express grief over the incident. Sanaullah said indiscriminate action would be taken against the culprits.

Meanwhile, at a polling station in Sialkot’s Gangal area, polling was suspended for a while after a clash broke out between PTI and PML-N workers.

In Narowal’s Chak Qazian area, seven people were injured when supporters of different parties pelted each other with stones. In Khushab’s Ward 36, policemen broke off a clash between PTI and PML-N workers. In Jhang, PML-N supporters clashed with the polling staff.



In Muzaffargarh, clashes broke out at several polling stations, but no casualties were reported. “In the third phase of the LG elections, worst-ever mismanagement and irregularities have been committed,” claimed PTI leader Chaudhry Sarwar.  “The Election Commission of Pakistan seems bent on remaining a silent spectator and is making no effort to hold free, fair and transparent elections.”

Dead man walking

In Rajanpur, 80-year-old Wahid Bakhsh from Kot Mithan was declared dead when he arrived to cast his vote. “They say I am dead,” Bakhsh said referring to the polling staff who did not allow him to cast his vote because he was dead on paper. Moreover, in Rahim Yar Khan, a voter was arrested for taking a picture of the ballot paper while casting his vote. In DG Khan, a man was arrested for trying to cast a fake vote at a women’s polling station.

Statistics

More than 5,200 contestants were vying for chairman and vice chairman, and 31,848 for general councillor in the third phase. The ECP had set up 14,012 polling stations. As many as 14,012 presiding officers, 72,628 assistant presiding officers and 38,718 polling officers carried out their responsibilities at 38,718 polling booths across the province.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 6^th, 2015.