KARACHI, Aug 20: As official announcement of election results has already been delayed, candidates as well people are in a fix about the veracity of the claims of victory repeatedly made by various political parties.
According to the election schedule announced by the Election Commission of Pakistan on June 30, results were to be announced on Aug 20. However, by 10 pm on Saturday when this report was being compiled, the Election Commission of Pakistan had not officially communicated the results of the LB polls for various union councils of Karachi.
When procedure for the announcement of the election results was inquired, an official of the election commission told Dawn that under the rules, consolidated results of local body polls held in 53 districts on Aug 18 were to be posted on the notice boards on Saturday by the returning officers.
He said the ROs are also required to provide results on Form-15 to the regional offices of election commission for onward transmission to the Election Commission headquarters in Islamabad for a notification which the spokesman said, would take a few days more.
Meanwhile, the Khushhal Pakistan group, backed by the ruling Pakistan Muslim League, claimed that it had won 14 panels of nazim and naib nazim and 468 councillors in Karachi. Stating this a PML leader, Haleem Adil Shaikh, said the 14 panels were in addition to their coalition party, Muttahida Qaumi Movement with which they had adjustment in 15 towns where the MQM had swept elections.
To a question, he said out of 10 districts of Sindh where elections were held on Thursday, the PML-backed candidates had returned in a majority in seven districts.
He contested the allegations about rigging in elections by opposition leaders and said they were held in a transparent manner and they had been making accusations for their face saving.
Pakistan Peoples Party Karachi chapter President Rashid Rabbani on Saturday evening released a list of 41 panels and over 400 councillors which, according to him, were elected from the Awam Dost group in 13 twons of Karachi.
He issued a list of successful Awam Dost candidates of nazims and naib nazims to the media according to which as many as 29 nazims and naib nazim of union councils in Karachi have been elected from the Awam Dost group.
According to the list, eight panels of nazim and naib nazims have returned from Lyari town. In Saddar town, four panels have won election while in Keamari, two panels; Gadap, seven panels, Malir, one; Landhi, two; Bin Qasim, five; Laiquatabad, one; Gulshan, three; Jamshed Town, two; Shah Faisal, one; SITE, three; Orangi, one, and Baldia one.
Similarly, the Al Khidmat Group claimed that 38 nazims and naib nazims have won election in North Karachi, North Nazimabad, Liaquatabad, Gulshan-i-Iqbal, Jamshed Town, SITE, Baldia, Malir, Shah Faisal, Saddar, Lyari, Keamari, Bin Qasim and Landhi towns.
