Below average turnout in Sindh

HYDERABAD:

The election day in Sindh was marred by widespread disruptions in mobile phone communication, leading to a reportedly below-average turnout. Sporadic clashes, polling suspensions, and delayed starts were observed at various places. In Kotri, Jamshoro district, a political worker sustained a gunshot injury during a brawl, adding to the incidents of violence.

Some 17,635,792 people were registered to vote in 39 constituencies of the National Assembly and 83 of the Sindh Assembly across Hyderabad, Mirpurkhas, Nawabshah, Sukkur, and Larkana divisions. Leaders of major political parties, along with independent observers, argued that the mobile network suspension adversely affected voters turnout.

Instead of receiving information about their polling stations via SMS by texting their national identity card numbers to the Election Commission of Pakistan's number 8300, voters had to physically visit their polling stations.

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, after casting his vote in Naudero, Larkana, urged the urgent restoration of mobile services. He emphasised the impact of the suspension on voters turnout and coordination among polling staff, particularly in relaying information about any violent incidents to law enforcement agencies and political parties.

Bilawal warned that delays in communicating such incidents could adversely affect the safety of the general public and stressed the need for an immediate restoration of mobile services for the sake of democracy.

Read Election concludes amid low turnout, security concerns in Balochistan

Responding to a question about the ongoing elections, Bilawal expressed confidence in securing a favourable mandate. Meanwhile, his father and PPP's Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, who cast his vote in Nawabshah, claimed his communication with the people remained unaffected by the mobile network suspension. He expressed hope for a sweeping victory for the PPP in the polls.

Violence

A worker of independent candidate Malik Changez Khan in PS-79 Jamshoro-III was injured with a gunshot during a fight allegedly with PPP's workers in the Kotri area. In Hyderabad, an incident of aerial firing occurred at St Bona Venture High School's assembly ground, where a polling station was set up. The MQM-P attributed the firing to PPP's supporters, leading to clashes between the two groups.

Gunshots were also reported in Tando Wali Muhammad, where armed men allegedly broke down a ballot box, scattering ballot papers. These incidents occurred in the NA-220 constituency. Confrontations among workers of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, PPP, MQM-P, and Jamaat-e-Islami were observed in various areas.

Complaints of a delayed start of voting emerged from several polling stations, including station number 95 in NA-220 and PS-64 Hyderabad, where the process started in the afternoon. Voting was suspended for around two hours at polling station number 80 in Badin city on PS-71 after a clash between PPP's Taj Muhammad Mallah and GDA's Hassam Mirza.

In Benazirabad district, people complained about changes to polling stations. Independent candidate Sardar Sher Muhammad Rind, contesting against Zardari on NA-207, alleged that polling staff were partisan in support of the PPP's contestant. Late starts were reported at several polling stations in Larkana, where GDA's Kazim Abbassi, contending on PS-11, complained about last-minute changes to polling stations.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 9^th 2024.