LAHORE: The third and final phase of local government elections in 12 districts of southern and central Punjab was held on Saturday in a largely peaceful environment with negligible complaints of rigging.

Initial results brought good news for the PML-N as the party seemed certain to grab the highest number of seats in the region, followed by independent candidates.

Learning a lesson from the PML-N, the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf had this time supported several independent candidates across the province. Its own ticket-holders were maintaining the third place but at a significant distance.

Bloody violence was reported from Rawalpindi, where a cousin of an independent candidate was gunned down.

Otherwise, the elections were held in a peaceful manner in Rawalpindi. Sporadic incidents of violence, clashes and injuries were also reported from other districts.

According to inconclusive and unofficial results, the PML-N was leading on 423 out of 1,335 union council chairmen / vice-chairmen seats, followed by 394 independent candidates.

The PTI was struggling to make its presence felt with 105 seats, followed by 24 won by the PPP. The Jamaat-i-Islami had won one seat till the filing of this report, while 16 went to other parties.

Law-enforcement agencies and Rangers’ vigilant security coupled with a ban on carrying and displaying arms bore fruits as voters, an overwhelming number of women among them, used their right to franchise.

Reports suggested that turnout of voters crossed 50 per cent in almost all 12 districts.

The elections were held in seven south Punjab districts — Multan, Dera Ghazi Khan, Bahawalpur, Rajanpur, Muzaffargarh, Rahim Yar Khan, Layyah — and four central Punjab districts — Jhang, Khushab, Sialkot and Narowal as well as Rawalpindi.

The first two phases of the elections were held in 12 districts on Oct 31 and Nov 19.

The Election Commission of Pakistan’s Punjab office has announced that the results will be consolidated in a day or two and notified in one go.

PTI Punjab Organiser Chaudhry Sarwar told Dawn that the polls in the third phase were held in a comparatively better manner. He said he was optimistic about the party candidates’ performance in the four central Punjab districts and in Rawalpindi. “It is worth appreciable to even field candidates against the ruling PML-N, which was becoming furious and victimising its political opponents,” he said.

Mr Sarwar said the number of PTI voters had almost doubled in all districts though its many candidates lost elections with a narrow margin. He said the PTI had also supported many independent candidates, where it could not convince leaders to support party candidates.

PTI National organiser Shah Mahmood Qureshi, who himself did not poll his vote in Multan, did not respond to calls and text message to speak about party position in South Punjab’s seven districts. He also did not tweet anything after his Dec 4 “call upon every voter of Pakistan to be a part of the movement for change by making the PTI candidates successful tomorrow”.

Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal, who polled his vote in Narowal, said in his tweet that the PML-N would clean sweep in the elections in the district.

Published in Dawn, December 6th, 2015