Sporadic violence witnessed during polling

ISLAMABAD: Isolated incidents of violence were reported on Election Day from different areas in Rawalpindi and Islamabad.

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) provincial assembly candidate Babar Sultan Jadoon allegedly opened fire on supporters of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) in Hazara Colony of Rawalpindi’s Ganj Mandi area.

Resident Nasir Khan received a bullet wound to his hand and Ahmed received injuries after he was beaten by baton-wielding PPP supporters, according to eyewitnesses in Hazara Colony. Bystanders said the altercation started when Jadoon tried to coerce residents who support the PML-N into voting for the PPP.

A similar incident occurred at the Islamabad Model School for Girls in Golra, where Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) supporters accused PML-N activists of abusing PTI voters and forcing them to cast their ballots for PML-N.

In NA-56, Rawalpindi, where PTI’s Imran Khan is leading PML-N’s Hanif Abbasi in initial poll results, supporters of PML-N and PTI exchanged rounds of firing in Rehmanabad around 9:30pm. The PTI’s and PML-N’s main election offices are located on either side of the Benazir Bhutto Road (formerly Murree Road) in Rehmanabad. Eyewitnesses said the firing was “intense” and lasted for several minutes. As a result, the road is currently closed for traffic from Chandni Chowk to Sixth Road.

Two political activists were injured when a fight broke out between PML-N workers in Gracey Lane polling station in the same area. Another incident in the same constituency saw a clash between PML-N and PTI activists following a heated verbal exchange. Multiple injuries were reported.

Earlier, polling remained suspended at the Rawal Cadet College in Gulraiz Colony at around 3pm because of a shortage of polling staff and a clash between PTI and PML-N political workers.

According to reports, a group of PPP and PTI supporters clashed near a polling station in Tarlai, in Islamabad’s NA-49 constituency. Our Correspondent

Published in The Express Tribune, May 12^th, 2013.