SUKKUR: Violence in Local Body elections on Sunday, claimed at least two lives and left dozens injured in separate incidents. Polling being postponed at various polling stations due to violence and mismanagement.
According to details, local body elections in Sukkur have been postponed after a shooting incident at the polling station Allah Jurio Jagirani. The district monitoring officer has issued a notification postponing the elections.
One person had been reported dead and at least three were injured after a group of men attacked the polling station in Sukkur.
The two parties clashed at a polling station in Rohri, leading to the suspension of the voting process.
In a similar incident, polling in Municipal Committee Ward 13 was suspended after a brawl resulted in the death of one person in Tando Adam.
The polling station was immediately closed after the incident.
Violence in Sukkur, Kandhkot, Nawabshah, Ghotki and Mirpur Mathelo left dozens of people injured. At least one polling station in Kandhkot was attacked by dacoits.
Meanwhile, in Nawabshah, armed gunmen have taken the staff of the social security polling station and policemen hostage.
Onlookers reportedly said the attackers climbed the wall to enter the polling station, attacked the staff, and took away the ballot papers.
In total, three polling stations in Benazirabad were deprived of ballot papers and other materials in a goon attack. The Election Commission of Pakistan has taken notice of the incident and ordered a probe.
In Mirpur Mathelo, 13 people were injured during alleged clashes between PPP and GDA workers in UC Dhangro.
An angry mob also smashed the windows of GDA candidate’s car. The firing has stopped at the site as per the latest reports.
The PPP and GDA workers also allegedly quarreled in district Ghotki UC Ali Mahar. Polling was stopped after the conflict was reported.
According to reports, the confrontation in Khangarh Taluka also left four persons wounded who were shifted to the hospital for treatment.
Meanwhile, PTI’s Ali Zaidi has alleged that former Sindh Chief Minister Arbab Ghulam Rahim’s son, Arbab Innayatullah, was attacked by “ZardariMafia goons at a polling station” in Kaloi, Mithi in Tharparkar.
Just spoke to Ex CM Arbab Ghulam Rahim!
His son Arbab Innayatullah was attacked just now by #ZardariMafia goons at a polling station in Kaloi, Mithi in Tharparkar
Law enforcement & ECP no where in sight, except Sindh Police who are actually protecting the attackers!— Ali Haider Zaidi (@AliHZaidiPTI) June 26, 2022
The PTI Sindh president further added, “Law enforcement and ECP were nowhere in sight, except Sindh Police who are actually protecting the attackers!”
Whereas in Shahdadkot, police have reportedly arrested JUI candidate Saddam Sangha after a fight ensued on casting vote in women’s polling booth between JUI and PPP candidates in UC 20.
Meanwhile, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has postponed elections in some areas over technical issues including Ghotki district’s Mirpur Mathelo after wrong names of candidates were printed on ballot papers.
Reports of missing electoral symbols on ballot papers, male presiding officers deputed at women’s polling stations, and incomplete electoral rolls were received from other cities.
Read also: Polling for LG elections in Sindh underway amid tight security
Addressing a press conference in Karachi, MQM-P leader said, “We do not want fingers to be pointed toward the ECP after the way local government elections are being held,”
Waseem Akhtar claimed that fair and free elections were not possible in the current atmosphere and said that at some polling stations, there were no ballot papers while voters had also stayed away from the process after violent incidents.
He said that the entire media was running footage of ballot papers being forcefully taken away during the polls, raising questions on election fairness.
He lamented that there was no progress on agreement with PPP and the prime minister has formed a committee to look into the matter. “If progress is not being made on the agreement then we will be forced to decide our future with this government,” he warned.
Polling had begun in 14 districts of the Sindh province for the first phase of the local government elections amid strict security measures being taken to avoid any untoward incident at 8 am in the morning.
As many as 21,298 candidates hailing from political parties including PTI, JUI-F, PPP, MQM-P, GDA, independents, and others are vying for the 5,331 seats of the local governments in 14 districts. 946 candidates have already secured their seats without a fight.
