August 26, 2005	Friday	Rajab 20, 1426

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LAHORE, Aug 25: Polling for local elections in the Punjab capital was marked by violence, far lower than expected turnout, and mismanagement on the part of the election commission.

At least six people, the highest number in any other district of Punjab where polling was held in the second phase of local polls on Thursday, were reported to have been killed in Lahore. However, the police said only three had been killed in the poll-related violence while others had fallen prey to old rivalries.

“Frequent display of arms and the killings is a failure on the part of the operations and preventions police, who could not properly manage a crackdown on illegal weapons before the polling day as ordered by the IGP,” said a senior Punjab police officer.

Of the six people killed in poll-related violence in the metropolis, two were shot dead and three were injured in a crossfire between two rival groups at Maraka village in Manga Mandi. Troops were called in when the situation deteriorated.

Three people were killed in two separate incidents in Kahna. A brother of a candidate opened fire, killing the supporter of a rival candidate on the spot in one of the incidents, and two others got bullet wounds and died in hospital after two groups clashed in the locality.

Another man was shot dead in Shalamar Town, while six more were injured, two of them seriously, in Data Ganj Bakhsh Town’s UC-81.

Lahore city police chief DIG Tariq Saleem, however, said three of the six killings had motives other than election-related rivalries behind them.

“We made the biggest weapon catch in the province. We seized 70 automatic weapons, including two ooze guns and three kalashnikovs and arrested 46 men.” Besides, he said, 16 more people were taken into custody on charges of creating law and order situation.

POLLING: Voters’ turnout at most polling stations remained quite low, especially in the morning hours. Fewer non-Muslim and women voters turned up despite the best efforts of candidates. The day being a public holiday, most people preferred to stay indoors. At some polling stations, the first voter turned up as late as 9:45am.

The polling, however, picked momentum in the afternoon. In several polling stations visited by Dawn reporters, the polling staff reported between 25-35 per cent votes had been cast till the close of polling at 5pm. At other polling stations, especially in the Walled City, the turnout was reported to be between 40-50 per cent. There were several polling stations where as high a turnout as 50 per cent was reported in one polling booth and as low as 20 per cent in another.

At different places, candidates, particularly those backed by the opposition parties, complained that their election symbols were not printed on the ballot papers. Polling was stopped at some polling stations when the candidates complained of this discrepancy to the presiding officers. In most places, nevertheless, the presiding officers chose not to stop polling and said only district returning officer was authorized to take a decision on such issues.

The opposition-backed candidates also alleged that the polling stations were changed overnight which caused difficulty for their supporters. Many complained that the voters’ lists provided to them by the election commission did not match the ones in possession of the polling staff.

There were some places where the polling staff did not show up at all while polling was delayed by around two hours at certain places because of the late-coming of the polling staff. At certain places, the polling staff reported that they had not been provided with enough stationery and other necessary items for conducting the polls.

Despite a ban placed by the Election Commissioner of Pakistan, the candidates for union council nazim and naib nazim backed by the ruling PML were seen moving in and out of the polling booths. However, the police or polling staff did not take any action despite complaints by the rival candidates. The government-backed candidates were also seen heading processions of their supporters in different union councils.

The opposition candidates alleged late in the night that the presiding officers were not giving them signed copies of the results while the district returning officer and returning officers were lending them a deaf ear.

WAGAH, SHALAMAR, AZIZ BHATTI TOWNS: Mismanagement and a low turnout marked polling in Wagah, Shalamar and Aziz Bhatti towns. Minorities and women made much more un-enthusiastic voters in the local polls in which candidates of the ruling PML were seen lurking at the polling stations.

The staff at many polling stations complained that they had not received enough stationery and other required material for a smooth working. Complaints of being ‘underemployed’ were also made.

Low turnout was witnessed in all three towns, with women appearing to be less enthusiastic than their male counterparts. Though the turnout increased somewhat by the afternoon, it never went beyond 30 per cent, as reported by the polling staff. The printing of the ballot papers also proved to be a problem for many: three nazims from Aziz Bhatti Town and a woman councillor from Wagah Town complained that ballot papers did not contain their election symbols.

The entire staff at a women’s polling station (no. four) of the union council 50 of Wagah Town failed to show up, and voters had to be accommodated in the adjoining polling station, creating last-minute confusion and commotion.

Polling in most of the polling stations of UC-35 in Shalamar Town could not start on time as voters’ lists were mixed up, and it took nearly 90 minutes for the presiding officers to sort them out.

None of the polling stations in the three towns had all the required material for a smooth functioning. Polling staff had to borrow household items to get the polls going. For example, in five polling stations of Wagah Town, the staff borrowed charpoys and bedsheets to create a secluded booth for vote casting. There were hardly any tents or shade provided for people who did come out to vote in the hot and humid weather.

One of the polling stations of union council 16 in Shalamar Town, which was set up at a Wasa tubewell, saw the worst type of confusion: the tent could not be put up till 9:30am, and the hapless staff did not have a voters’ list to go by.

Five ballot papers, containing numerous symbols without names, proved too much for many voters. In many constituencies, old and illiterate people were seen asking the polling staff to help them stamp the “right candidates”, and the staff obliged.

Voters in most union councils of the three towns complained about mismanagement of voters’ lists. Some of them failed to find their names in the list; many insisted their names were on the list when they had voted in the last general election.

The polling process by and large remained a dull affair because of the absence of public transport. There were, however, some who offered explanations for the absence: that the elections were local, people could easily walk to polling stations set up in their areas. Others said voters were generally disinterested in the entire electoral process. The election commission also put its foot down and stopped the use of transport as a means of influencing the voters.

Minority voters largely remained conspicuous by their absence. They were hardly any seen at the polling stations of across the three towns.

Most of the voters, who did turn up, got to the polling stations early in the day. One of them said: “No one wants to miss the day’s work for these elections. Here most of the voters are small businessmen, who would not lose a day’s earnings for an election not expected to make any difference in his life.”

In a town where influential people like Mian Ikhlaq Guddu, Sheikh Rohel Asghar and Mian Muneer of the PML have political influence, things heated up by the evening, and a clash in UC-36 claimed one life.

UC-35 had an armed clash the previous night, and a complaint was pending with the local police station.

Polling agents of different candidates were found complaining about the use of official machinery, for which they failed to provide any concrete evidence. They alleged the government had decided to rig the polls to get its own people elected.

A presiding officer blamed the election commission for the mismanaged polls. The EC, he said, informed some of the election staff as late as the previous night that they were being deployed on poll duty. Such staff had neither training nor the logistics to meet the election requirements.

“How could an officer living in Wapda Town be told to report in Kot Khwaja Saeed at seven in the morning, that too on his own? I had to transport nine ballot boxes on a rickshaw and come to the polling station by seven. I naturally got late and things at the polling station turned topsy-turvy,” he complained.

Comprising areas bordering with India, the town was a scene of mismanagement of all sorts. There was no pressure on the polling staff to behave in an urbane manner; most of the voters complained about the rude behaviour of the staff. Women voters were seen to be more active, but their rush was explained by a polling staff: “These women are workers, not voters. They are here since morning and escort any woman voter to the polling booth, creating a scene of a rush.”

Confusion about voters’ lists was also worse in the town. Most of the voters were illiterate and found it hard to decipher ballot papers. A woman was seen complaining at the Wagah village, saying she had been casting her vote at a particular polling station in many elections, but her name had suddenly gone missing.

Lists were divided among many polling stations, which voters found hard to follow. “Most of the votes are going to waste as people cannot follow the complicated ballot papers,” said one of the polling agents for the PML-N at UC-53 of Wagah. These people cannot remember symbols, and there are no names listed next to them. The symbols are spread over five ballot papers. The polling staff, including agents, are not trained to handle these papers,” she said.

The Aziz Bhatti Town witnessed the most hectic activities. Turnout was better than in the rest of the places, and women were seen leading the way. By three in the afternoon, some of the polling stations had crossed the 50 per cent turnout mark, and people were still waiting in some others.

DATA GANJ BAKHSH, GULBERG, SAMANABAD TOWNS:

Late start, low turnout and lack of, or delayed supply of the required voting material was the hallmark of polling in Data Gunj Bakhsh, Gulberg and Samanabad towns.

The polling staff were untrained and unaware of the changes in polling rules after the introduction of the joint electorate system, as voters complained of slow process at several polling stations.

Turnout at women’s polling stations was comparatively better than at those for men. By three in the afternoon, the maximum votes polled at any booth were around 135, while total votes per booth on an average were 350.

Besides the Elite Force, regular and reserved police, some youths in casual wear and looking like street urchins were also on guard duty. The word “police” printed on their red armbands was the only symbol that identified them as law enforcement personnel.

There were no reports of any violence in the three towns as a peaceful atmosphere prevailed in and around the polling stations.

At the Rabia Foundation polling station for men in Shadman (UC-94), polling started at nine because ballot boxes were faulty. The staff were unable to open them for showing the polling agents that they were empty upon receipt. Finally, when these were opened, it became difficult to re-lock them, polling agents present there complained.

Some also said they were given dried-up stamp-pads.

The first voter at an adjacent women’s polling station turned up at 9:20am.

At the Government Girls Middle School, Ganga Ice Factory (UC-97), combined polling station, the process began at 9am because, the assistant presiding officer said, stamps were provided to them late. He, however, assured the polling agents that the time lost would be made up for.

The general perception that Lahorites were politically more conscious and took interest in every election process was proved wrong. The first vote at a polling station in Sarai Sultan (UC-74) was cast at 9:45am. Contestants there were worried about the lukewarm response by voters. Similar was the situation in the Gowalmandi area.

A supporter of a ruling-party candidate was caught carrying bogus votes with him at the railway police club polling station, but the SHO reportedly let him go.

Against the trend in other markets and bazaars, many shops were seen to be open for business in Anarkali at 10am.

While the candidates backed by the opposition parties had identified themselves by their respective groups, Awam Dost, Watan Nawaz and Watan Dost, those claiming the support of the ruling PML had printed the phrase “the sign of victory” on their posters.

The ban on rallies imposed by the chief election commissioner was defied by the PML-backed aspirant for nazim from Model Town (UC-127), Saifur Rahman: he was seen moving from one polling station to the next in a cavalcade in the afternoon.

A portrait of the former district nazim Mian Amer Mahmood, who also resides in Model Town, was erected on top of one of the cars in the procession as the participants raised slogans for Saifur Rahman; the police remained a silent spectator.

Outside the polling station close to Mian Amer’s house, confectioners had set up their apparatus to serve fresh and hot jalaibis and other food items to the people present at Rahman’s polling camp.

In Muslim Town (UC-115), the opposition parties’ nominees alleged that polling stations had been changed at the eleventh hour, while there was also a difference between the voters’ lists with the polling staff and the candidates’ agents.

They said they had requested their voters to get their vote numbers from the rival’s camp. The turnout there was reported as low as 20 per cent.

To lay his hands on trouble makers after the polling process was over, the Samanabad SHO came up with a creative idea. He got all the people entering the sensitive polling stations in his jurisdiction under camera surveillance.

The SHO was also seen engaged in pacifying supporters of various contestants who were complaining about being debarred from casting votes for one reason or the other.

“I assure you that you will cast your vote but let me first tackle another problem being faced by the Ichhra SHO,” he was overheard as saying to a complainant.

On many roads and at some polling stations police were seen frisking motorcyclists/voters to recover arms.

IQBAL & NISHTER TOWNS: Polling in most union councils in Iqbal and Nishtar towns was held peacefully except for the firing incident in the Chuhng union council; delayed polling in Johar Town and mismanagement problems were reported from different UCs.

Owing to a large number of candidates, represented on six ballot papers, most voters, particularly women, were seen confused. Many were compelled to get the polling agents to help. On an average voters were seen taking five to 10 minutes to stamp their ballot papers; long queues were seen at several polling stations. Still, the votes’ volume at many polling stations remained around 40 per cent.

Conditions at most polling stations on the hot and humid day remained pathetic that ranged from non-availability of power to rooms having no ventilation, causing a suffocating environment. Most polling stations witnessed exchange of hot words and brawls among polling agents.

“These women polling agents are literally filled with live ammunition,” said a presiding officer at a polling station in Raiwind.

Long queues of women voters were witnessed at almost all the polling stations, while the presence of minority voters remained quite thin.

Though polling was held peacefully in both towns, the polling peace converted into panic at Chuhng (UC-121), when a candidate’s supporters started aerial firing inside the Government Girls Higher Secondary School at 10am. The indiscriminate firing that, according to witnesses, lasted for over five minutes literally vacated the men’s and women’s polling stations.

The supporters of Malik Muzammil Ishtiaq (Nazim candidate) alleged that Nazim candidate Malik Mudassar Ali Khokhar’s supporters entered the men and women’s polling station at the Government Girls Higher Secondary School and opened fire.

Mr Ishtiaq’s supporter Nazir claimed that these polling stations were considered a stronghold of Ishtiaq so Khokhar’s supporters opened fire and harassed the voters. People also ran in panic in the main bazaar of Chuhng. He alleged the police deputed at the main gates of the school did not stop the people carrying firearms. He alleged that the police were supporting Mudassar Khokhar and his candidates.

He said Mr Khokhar’s supporters were successful in their objective of dispersing the voters. On the other hand, he said that Mr Ishtiaq’s polling agents also came out firing from polling stations at the Government Boys High School, Chuhng.

Polling remained suspended at the two polling stations for much of the day.

As Khokhar’s group tried to patch matters up and even agreed to extend polling for two hours, Ishtiaq’s supporters refused to agree, saying that their voters were harassed and would not be able to return to cast their votes.

When contacted, Chuhng police station SHO Zulfiqar Ali Butt said both Khokhar and Ishtiaq groups were involved in trouble-making. He said that he did not see anybody carrying firearms. He said that he was running after the miscreants. He claimed that polling at the girls’ school was suspended for only 20 minutes.

In Johar Town (UC-116), polling was stopped all over just after a few minutes when voters pointed out that three election symbols were missing from the ballot papers. The election symbols —- Fan (general councillor candidate Mian Shaukat Ali Mitha), Boat (general councillor candidate Sheikh Iqbal Elahi) and Table (women labour councillor Zainab Bibi) —- were found missing.

The presiding officers stopped the polling on the instructions of the returning officer. Polling at all seven polling stations in Johar Town UC started at around 11:30am. Though the polling remained suspended for three hours, it was learnt that voters were allowed only one extra hour. Polling agents of different candidates said the situation had created a lot of problems for voters as they had to go back. They said the number of voters were relatively small, while the area was quite large. They said that they had to make announcements in small villages around Johar Town to ensure that voters do not face a hassle.

In Hanjarwal (UC-117), two symbols —- Boat (general councillor candidate Zahid Khan) and Grapes (labour councillor candidate Syed Azhar) —- were missing. However, the polling staff decided to continue the polling. “I had stopped polling for some 30 minutes but restored it on the instructions of the returning officer,” a presiding officer said.

“When a voter objects that a particular symbol is missing, we simply ask him to come later as correct ballot papers are being collected from the returning officer,” said a presiding officer. He also said that it would be up to the returning officer whether he would uphold the election as valid or decide re-polling for the two particular seats.

At Ali Raza Abad (UC-120) polling station number 2, women polling agents clashed as they insisted to sit inside the polling room. However, the presiding officer requested the polling agents to sit in a room facing the entrance and send voters after complete investigation. She said the space in the available room was not enough and was mostly occupied by voters. “How I can allow over 30 polling agents to sit in the same room that has no ventilation. It is almost suffocating for the polling staff to sit and keep on working under these conditions,” she said.

At polling station number one, presiding officer Afzaal Ahmad said the polling staff was insufficient and he was compelled to run two polling booths.

In Manga Mandi (UC-125), polling remained smooth except for a couple of incidents of brawling among candidates’ supporters, who allegedly entered the polling stations and asked women voters to stamp such and such election symbols.

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