Consequences: Daraza incident to affect voter turnout
Daraza incident has the potential to affect the voter turnout in the second phase of the local government elections
HYDERABAD:
The Daraza incident has the potential to affect the voter turnout in the second phase of the local government elections. A low turnout, consequently, will help manipulate the poll outcome. Speakers at a dialogue, organised by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) on Friday, expressed these apprehensions”The women, minorities, young and old, all participated in large numbers in the [first phase of the LG] elections,” observed Ashothama Lohano, the regional representative of the HRCP. But, he argued, the traditional powers felt threatened by the turnout and resorted to bloodshed. Punhal Saryon, Hari Porhiyat Council’s president, feared similar violence is likely to take place in Badin, Umerkot and Tharparkar in the second phase of the LG polls, scheduled for November 19.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 8th, 2015.
The Daraza incident has the potential to affect the voter turnout in the second phase of the local government elections. A low turnout, consequently, will help manipulate the poll outcome. Speakers at a dialogue, organised by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) on Friday, expressed these apprehensions”The women, minorities, young and old, all participated in large numbers in the [first phase of the LG] elections,” observed Ashothama Lohano, the regional representative of the HRCP. But, he argued, the traditional powers felt threatened by the turnout and resorted to bloodshed. Punhal Saryon, Hari Porhiyat Council’s president, feared similar violence is likely to take place in Badin, Umerkot and Tharparkar in the second phase of the LG polls, scheduled for November 19.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 8th, 2015.