‘No longer believing in the ballot’

BAHAWALPUR: Turn out remained low at various polling stations in the NA- 184 by-polls till 2pm on Saturday, September 4, 2010.

Reports from all over the district state that the turnout for the by-polls was surprisingly low and most registered voters expressed their apathy regarding this years elections.

However, three activists have been arrested by police officials at polling station no 69, Hathegi, during a minor clash between rival groups of the Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP). “There was a minor incident where supporters tried to start a brawl over some bad-mouthing of the opposing candidate but the rangers on duty quickly neutralised the situation,” said inspector Shahid Kamal.

“Most of the stations have been completely deserted and in some polling stations we barely saw more than ten or twenty people come in all day,” said Kashif Din, a guard at a polling station. Locals said that the polling was peaceful as most polling stations presented a deserted look throughout the day. A number of people from different localities in the constituency expressed complete disassociation from the elections. “With the situation in the country we no longer expect anything of people in office, I shall not be voting for the first time in twenty years,” said 61-year-old Shahbaz Noor.

Voting began at 8am in the morning and the polls closed at 5 in the evening before iftar. Former PPP MNA Malik Amir Yar Varan who earlier resigned due to a fake degree scandal is contesting the polls opposite PML-N candidate Mian Najeebud Din Awaisi and iindependent candidate Rao Javed.Voters and political pundits have anticipated tough competition between the PPP and PML-N candidates and supporters of each candidate have vouched for the fact that their candidate is ‘sure to sweep the polls’.

A large number of women have reportedly cast their votes this year but locals say the elections have been decidedly lackluster. Conflicting media reports have emerged with regards to voter turnout. Television channels have proclaimed over 40% turn out for the polls but sources on the ground have said that over a dozen polling stations remained practically empty throughout the day.

“We did hear reports of skirmishes in the Hathegi polling station, but other than that the turnout was disappointing and eerily calm.

There wasn’t much to do security wise as in some places there weren’t even enough people to require forming a line,” said inspector Waris Butt, who was monitoring one of the polling stations.

The frontrunners for the Bahawalpur polls include PPP Khadija Varan, PML-N Najib Awasi and independent candidate Rao Javed. In addition12 other independent candidates also took part in the election.

The total number of voters in the district is 321,784 and 226 polling stations were formed for the by-polls. Initially, 31 of the polling stations were declared sensitive and rangers were kept on alert.

Returning officer (RO) Sajjad Hussain Shah was handed over operations related to monitoring polling at all stations for the by polls before his scheduled transfer on Monday.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 5^th, 2010.