FAISALABAD: Brazen display of weapons and scuffles left several people injured in violence-plagued local elections in many parts of Punjab on Saturday.

Reports of mismanagement and squabbles over petty issues also kept pouring in all day through and the police sprang into action, effecting arrests and registering cases at many places.

More than a dozen people were injured in clashes in Faisalabad; firing outside the Haripur polling station for women in Jaranwala, thrashing of the staff at two polling stations, detection of two fake voters and arrest of two gun-toting men disrupted polling.

Three people were injured when the supporters of the PTI and the PML-N clashed in Kaleem Shaheed Colony. In a brawl at UC 70, Jaranwala, four people suffered injuries.

The Election Commission had set up a polling station in a Khurrianwala building that had been declared dangerous a couple of years ago.

At UC 132, Sher Singh Wala, a voter allegedly tortured the presiding officer when he asked the voters to stand in queue. Polling remained halted at this station as the polling staff stopped working and called in police. Similarly, polling remained suspended at UC 94, Tandlianwala, owing to torture of polling staff.

In city council 154, voters caught an impersonator and handed him over to police.

KASUR: At least 15 people were injured on the polling day and two of them were referred to Lahore’s General Hospital in critical condition. The polling remained halted at various polling stations.

In Ward No 20, supporters of PML-N’s Hafiz Rasheed and independent candidate Niaz Ahmed Pehlwan clashed at Qatal Garhi polling station. The political activists attacked each other with daggers, clubs and bricks as a result of which five PML-N workers suffered injuries. The injured were taken to the DHQ hospital but Naseer and Asif were referred to the General Hospital.

Police resorted to aerial firing to disperse the mob and arrested Zahid, Umar and Asif.

Independent candidate Anwar Maqarab suffered injures at the Government Girls High School, Khara, UC 9 (Ward No 1) when men of opponent candidate attacked him and his supporters with bricks. Workers of other candidate Chaudhry Ilyas also were injured.

Police arrested Shabeer Mayo at UC 27 Hemaywal and recovered a pistol from him.

Another independent candidate, Imtiaz Akhtar, suffered injuries when PML-N candidate Amjad Tarar’s supporters attacked him with bricks. Later, Amjad also suffered injuries allegedly due to police torture.

Former PML-N MPA Ehsan Raza and his men allegedly ransacked two polling stations, tore off ballot papers and thrashed rivals. Earlier, Raza allegedly attacked men in Ward 8 of Kanganpur when his niece Khalid Raza on PML-N ticket lost the seat of general councilor against independent candidate Junaid Ahmed.

VEHARI: Ten people were injured in clashes, armed and otherwise, in various parts of the district.

In Gagoo UC 44, a group of PML-N supporters opened fire on the PML-Q candidate’s backers, leaving four injured. DPO Sadiq Ali Dogar said three suspects had been arrested and a case registered under section 7-ATA.

Four people were injured in a clash in Luddan’s UC 28 and two in UC 26, while two persons were injured in firing between two rival groups at another place.

OKARA: Former PPP MNA Rai Ghulam Mujtaba Kharal allegedly slapped presiding officer Shahid in Lakhan polling station of UC 14. Later, PTI leader Rai Habibullah Kharal and candidate Rai Nazim Kharal manhandled the polling staff.

Police registered a case (FIR No 290/15) against Mujtaba Kharal, Rai Habibullah and Rai Nazim Kharal.

In Okara Municipal Committee’s Ward No 24, an incident of firing took place which left two persons injured. The B-Division police arrested some of the suspects.

In Ward No 17, Garden Town, the voters and supporters of rival groups clashed and independent candidate Malik Safdar suffered head injury. At the same polling station, some PTI workers and supporters broke open a ballot box and tore off ballot papers. The polling at this station was stopped for more than an hour.

Police took PTI candidate Fayyazul Haq Azhar and former provincial minister Muhammad Ashraf Khan Sohna, the PTI’s NA ticket-holder, into custody. The police registered a case against Ashraf Sohna, his son Bilal Ashraf, brother Muhammad Mansha Khan and Fayyazul Haq besides their 14 accomplices.

SAHIWAL: A mob thrashed presiding officer Nauman of Ward No 7 and police arrested five people including Sardar Sarwar Dogar, a PML-N chairman slot candidate in UC 22, for aerial firing and clubbing opponents.

The polling process was disrupted at more than 15 polling stations. At least six people were injured in clashes outside polling stations. District Returning Officer Javed Akhtar and DPO Shahnawaz Sandhila shuttled from one polling station to another to keep law and order in control.

PTI supporters and candidates in Ward No 7 blamed the presiding officer for putting stamps on ballot papers and manhandled him.

MULTAN: Scuffles at various polling stations left three people injured. The injured who were brought to hospital were identified as Sher Muhammad Bhatti, Muhammad Farooq and Abdul Shakoor.

Polling at a women’s polling station was disturbed in Ward No 4 of Dunyapur over allegations of casting double votes. Scuffle was reported at the Government Boys High School Dunyapur’s polling station (Ward No 12) for men over the same issue. Besides, the supporters of the candidates also clashed with each other.

GUJRAT: Few incidents of skirmishes were reported and many people ended up in hospitals with injuries.

A brawl between the supporters of an independent candidate and police officials was witnessed on the city campus of the University of Gujrat at Fawara Chowk, where a polling station was established for UC 11 as candidate Faraz Chaudhry alleged he had recovered some fake votes from the polling staff.

Police tried to pacify the supporters of the candidate but they attacked the officials after which some of them were arrested and later released. The candidate and his supporters again created a scene by stopping the vehicle of the district returning officer and chanting slogans, prompting police to baton-charge them.

In Sarila Sharif polling station, some people belonging to rival groups were injured in a clash.

RAHIM YAR KHAN: Police registered a case against PML-N’s Maulvi Tariq Chohan, his son Umair Tariq Chohan and his brother Muhammad Tahir Chohan, who is contesting for the slot of chairman from UC 40, on the allegation of beating and abusing officials a few days ago.

Election Officer Noor Ahmed Leghari mentioned in the FIR No 712/15 (under section 506/186 PPC) that he sent an application to the provincial election commissioner Punjab through regional election commissioner (Bahawalpur) against Maulavi Tariq on Oct 26 for abusing Assistant Director Local Government (ADLG) and District Election Commissioner.

BAHAWALNAGAR: Complaints of rigging by PML-N candidate Riaz Chishtia in connivance with presiding officer Munawar Hussain poured in at UC 56 Kaporan.

At Amirkot, some ruling party workers stormed the house of PTI candidate Riaz Chohan after the announcement of the success of Abdul Majeed Qureshi (PML-N man). The rowdy workers also allegedly snatched a camera from a TV channel lensman.

Published in Dawn, November 1st, 2015

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