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SHEIKHUPURA, March 28: Low turnout in local bodies' bypolls due to lack of interest among the generality of people was the highlight of the event in many parts of the province on Sunday.
"Why should we elect Nazim, who has no authority or capability to solve the problems of the common man," said some of the villagers in Sheikhupura. A survey conducted by this correspondent revealed that the turnout was as low as 18 per cent in the district.
Although the candidates had arranged transport facilities and food for their voters at the polling booths, most of those, especially in rural areas, were presenting a deserted look.
VEHARI: The turnout of the voters here was not more than 45 to 50 per cent. Supporters of the contestants remained busy in transporting the people to booths and providing them other facilities to ensure maximum participation, but most of the people preferred to stay away.
A tehsil municipal administration employee, who was busy in transporting the voters to Union Council No 2, Danywal, told Dawn that his officer had strictly asked him to vote for the ruling party's candidate.
BAHAWALPUR: People in Bahawalpur were least interested in the bypolls for 31 vacant seats. A visit to various polling stations revealed that hardly 30 per cent people turned up to cast their votes.
SIALKOT: Armed mensnatched three books of ballot papers from the polling staff at the Hundal polling station in the district. Both the rival groups were blaming each other for the incident.
Meanwhile, landlord Chaudhry Ziaullah and Ashfaq of the Tahir Hundali Group were injured seriously in an exchange of fire between the Tahir Hundali Group and the Variyo Group at Hundal village polling station (male) in Sialkot tehsil.
The firing forced the voters to run for their lives, and they didn't return to cast their votes on the vacant UC Nazim seat. The injured were admitted to the DHQ Hospital, Sialkot, in critical condition.
Sialkot DPO Nisar Ahmad Saroya along with a heavy police contingent rushed to the spot and took control of the situation. Sialkot Sadar police are investigating. However, no case has yet been registered in this regard.
The Variyo family, including former MNA Chaudhry Akhtar Ali, Punjab Minister for Power Chaudhry Armughan Subhani, MPA Chaudhry Khush Akhtar Subhani, was supporting Fareedullah Khan while the Tahir Hundal Group was backing Ajmal Ejaz.
The incidents of minor clashes between the rival groups were also reported at Kuhar, Kot Kora, Bhaaneywali villages in UC Hundal polling stations.
MULTAN: There was not much interest among people in Multan to go for polling in 26 union councils, reports PPI. The polling was generally peaceful in the district, whose 50 per cent of the population exercized its right to vote. Besides, there were complaints of rigging in some areas, especially where MPs took interest in the victory of their candidates.
