Almost all the polling stations in all six districts of Karachi were provided tight security after being declared “sensitive” for security reasons, with only 234 of the 4,141 stations categorized as normal.
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The PTI-JI led alliance failed to dent MQM vote bank while ruling PPP also maintained its upper hand in its traditional strongholds of Lyari and Malir in Karachi elections.
Despite improvements in the accreditation process, trainings and monitoring by ECP, FAFEN observers reported widespread illegalities and irregularities at 2,184 polling stations – 1952 in Punjab and 232 in Sindh – from where the information could be acquired on the Election Day.
Voting will be continued till 5:30 without any break.
The MQM was leading by wining around 100 UCs out of the total 247 in Karachi’s six districts: District Central, District West, District Korangi, District East, District South and District Malir.
Tensions ran high at various polling stations as supporters of political parties scuffled in several areas of the city including Landhi, Orangi and Soldier Bazaar. They will be assisted by Rangers and the army.
It demanded the Chief Election Commissioner to take immediate notice of such discrimination and asked that action be taken against Haqiqui activists. “Rangers will be assisting the police in ensuring a secure environment”, he added. The average violations per polling station in the second phase in Punjab and Sindh was four and 5 in Islamabad Capital Territory, they added.
According to unofficial results so far, PML-N has won 1004 seats in Punjab. In Orangi Town’s UC 28 two people were injured in a minor scuffle during polling.
Like the earlier two phases, people will elect representatives for district council, union council, municipal corporation and municipal committees in Multan, Dera Ghazi Khan, Bahawalpur, Rajanpur, Muzaffargarh, Rahim Yar Khan, Layyah, Jhang, Khushab, Sialkot, Rawalpindi and Narowal.
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Home Secretary Mohammad Waseem informed the chief minister that 12 political parties – PPP, PML-N, MQM-A, PTI, Sunni Tehrik, JUI-F, Jamaat-e-Islami, JUI-P, ANP, PML-F, MQM-H, Qaumi Awami Tehrik – and a large number of independent candidates were contesting the elections.
