Local Body elections 2015;

Local Body elections 2015;

Quarrels, mismanagement visible in certain districts  Polling is underway in 20 districts of Sindh and Punjab. In many areas long lines were visible when voting starting at 7:30AM on Saturday.  In certain districts voting began with some delay, reports of mismanagement were received from Khairpur, Shikarpur and Ghotki where polling did not begin as scheduled due to late arrival of the polling staff. Besides late arrival of the staff at some stations,  ballots were also unavailable.  The polling stations at various places turned into a battlefield as supporters of different participating candidates clashed with each other during voting time for first phase of local government elections in Punjab and Sindh.  According to details, Fawara Chowk polling station number 11 in Gujrat closed after brawl between PTI supporters and police over forged votes. Election staff was seen helpless. The local presiding officer did not confirm either the person identified as Shahid Iqbal was casting vote on fake CNIC.  Separately in Kasur, polling temporarily stopped after supporters of two independent candidates scuffled inside polling station Nathuwala in UC-8 of Kasur.  Meanwhile, quarrel between two groups left two injured in polling station no. 182 in Khanpur area of Shikarpur whereas as many as three people sustained injuries in clash between rival groups in Union Council Loghi s polling station 102 in Jacobabad.  Polling halted in UC-10 station of Kamil Muqsi in Sukkur as residents protested against their votes being transferred to another location. Rangers personnel were also called on to take control of the intensifying situation in UC-17 New Pind.  On the other hand, a scuffle broke out between the workers of PPP and JUI-F as electoral symbol of PPP candidate went missing in Ward No. 4 of UC Aitebar Khan in Shahdad Goth.  Further, two injured in fray between supporters of two political parties in Khairpur while polling suspended for an hour after PTI and independent candidates alleged PML-N of rigging at polling station Zaffar village in US-144 of Kot Radha Kishan.  In Lahore’s Johar town UC115 a quarrel erupted between female voters of PTI and PML-N over who will vote first. Voters from opposing parties also fought in Vehrai’s peoples colony. In UC185 and UC231 voting was suspended due to misprinting of electoral symbols to PMLN voters. In Faisalabad violence left three people injured  Reports of mismanagement, including printing ofwrong electon symbols, late arrival of staff and skirmishes between rival groups have come in from different cities and towns of Punjaband Sindh.  Police, Rangers and Army personnel have been deployed at sensitive polling stations where they will remain until the end of polling. A public holiday is being observed in all districts where elections are taking place, with section-144 being enforced and a strict ban on display of weapons remains in place.  Secretary Election Commission (EC) Babar Yaqoob Fateh Muhammad on Saturday visited the monitoring room established in ECP Islamabad for the surveillance of local body polls.