LAHORE: The much-awaited local government (LG) elections in Lahore on Saturday attracted an abysmally low turnout with occasional complaints of clashes and exchange of harsh words. Amidst sloganeering, polling largely remained peaceful – but slow.

Voters’ turnout, however, in less affluent areas and the Walled City remained slightly high, where men and women polled early in the day. In posh localities, polling caught pace only in the afternoon. Overall, women’s participation was no less than men’s.

Transfer of votes remained a major issue with some voters returning disappointed or struggling to find locations that sometimes did not even match venues disseminated by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) through its SMS service. Many voters outside different polling stations in Johar Town, Garden Town, Samanabad and other areas told Dawn their votes had been shifted elsewhere without their consent.

Owing to the ECP’s mistakes in printing of election symbols on ballot papers, polling was postponed in Union Council (UC) 231 for the chairman and vice chairman’s slots, while general councillor elections were postponed in UC-86 ward 3, UC-162 ward 5, UC-185 ward 4 and UC-193 ward 2. Mismanagement by polling staff also slowed down or suspended the process for some time.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif polled in Sara-i-Sultan in UC-70 and Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif at a Model Town polling station.

Workers of both PML-N and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) said they had to struggle to bring voters out to vote.

“Voters came out only on the basis of personal relations,” said PML-N worker Lala Khalil.

“Voters are disappointed due to the status quo and rigging by the PML-N and therefore most people have opted to stay at home,” PTI worker Abdul Qayyum said.

While the hype created during the past month or so suggested a PML-N and PTI contest, the polling day showed PTI squeezing and PML-N dominating. Independent candidates also turned out to be major contenders.

Commenting on the PTI’s poor show, their leaders admitted workers were far less serious, adding the turnout in LG polls always remained low. A PTI leader also said, on the condition of anonymity, the party would be happy if it bagged 25pc chairman and vice chairman seats. Another worker privy to the developments expected the party would get 50 to 60 out of the 274 seats in Lahore.

While markets remained closed all day, vendors and eateries attracted a large number of customers, who had come out to vote.

PTI Lahore Organiser Shafqat Mahmood said the party received complaints of harassment by PML-N workers and occasional complaints of clashes. He said the ECP’s follies had slowed down polling process as many voters could not find their designated polling stations. He said voter turnout in posh localities remained abysmally low as compared to that in less affluent areas of the city. He said the PTI remained at a loss as its voters largely belonged to the educated and well-off class.

He also said it was difficult for candidates to contest against the sitting government where junior policemen harassed PTI candidates and workers.

“Wherever there were reports of PTI candidates leading, police interfered and created a situation and got polling process suspended,” he alleged.

But Mahmood was optimistic and said the PTI had gone for local government elections for the first time and even 25pc seats would help it ensure presence at grassroots.

“The PTI will assess its performance and award of tickets to candidates in the days to come,” he added.

Earlier in the day, PTI Punjab Organiser Chaudhry Sarwar addressed a press conference. Responding to questions about the misprinting of their election symbol, Sarwar said the ECP should have checked ballot papers before dispatching them. He said the PTI participated in the election despite reservations, including politicisation of state institutions such as police.

He alleged the PML-N had also kept almost 1,000 votes hidden in every union council and that the ECP’s mistakes about allocation of polling stations kept voters running from pillar to post.

At another press conference in the evening, Sarwar claimed there was a major difference between voter lists and polling schemes. He hoped the Punjab election commissioner would provide certified lists of voters used for the 2013 general elections and Oct 11 by-election on Sunday (today).

Punjab government spokesman Zaeem Qadri told a press conference that polling remained peaceful in the province, including Lahore, and minor injuries were reported in scuffles. He said the government had banned brandishing arms and registered 34 cases. He also said law enforcement agencies ensured peaceful polling by arresting 107 miscreants, including 23 PML-N workers.

“The law enforcement agencies stood completely impartial in the elections,” he asserted.

Published in Dawn, November 1st, 2015

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