KARACHI: The Pakistan Peoples Party swept the first phase of the local government election in eight districts of Sindh by winning about 70 per cent of the over 3,500 seats, it emerged on Tuesday.

On Oct 31, the LG elections were held for a total of 3,502 seats of chairman, vice chairman, district and general councillors in Sukkur, Ghotki, Khairpur, Larkana, Jacobabad, Shikarpur, Kashmore and Kambar-Shahdadkot districts.

Besides the PPP, all major political and nationalist parties, including the Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F), PML-Nawaz, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), contested the elections.

According to the compiled results of the eight districts, out of the 3,502 seats the PPP managed to win 2,428, or 69.33pc, seats.

No political party got the second position, as independent candidates won 654 seats in the first-ever party-based local government polls.

The PML-F managed to win 212 seats, followed by the JUI-F (63), PTI (27), MQM (25), PML-N (eight) and others bagging 85 seats.

Of the 494 seats of chairman/vice chairman, the PPP secured 362 seats, followed by PML-F (24), JUI-F (seven), MQM (three), PTI (two) and other parties getting 13 seats. The independent candidates won 83 seats of chairman/vice chairman.

Of the 449 seats of district councillors, the PPP won 349 seats, followed by 20 candidates of the PML-F, four each of the JUI-F, PTI and other parties. The number of independent district councillors is 75.

Of the 1,983 seats of ward councillors, the PPP won 1,323 seats, followed by independent candidates (388). The PML-F got 113, JUI-F (47), MQM (22), PTI (18), PML-N (six) and smaller parties got 66 candidates elected.

Likewise, of the 244 municipal committee seats the PPP won 175 seats, followed by independent candidates who bagged 44 seats, PML-F (20), JUI-F (three) and PML-N and PTI won one seat each.

Against the 332 town committee seats, the PPP continued its superiority by bagging 226 seats, followed by 64 independent candidates. The PML-F got 35, JUI-F, PTI and other smaller parties got two seats each.

The second phase of local government elections will be taking place in 15 districts of Sindh on Nov 19. The districts are: Matiari, Tando Allahyar, Tando Muhammad Khan, Thatta, Sujawal, Badin, Hyderabad, Dadu, Jamshoro, Shaheed Benazirabad, Naushhero Feroze, Sanghar, Mirpurkhas, Umerkot and Tharparkar.

The third and final phase of the LG polls would be held in Karachi on Dec 5.

Published in Dawn, November 11th, 2015