GUJRANWALA, Aug 19: The Gakkhar police failed to recover till Friday night the ballot boxes and papers taken away by some supporters of a candidate from the Union Council No 1 polling station.

The supporters of nazim aspirant Advocate Imtiaz Ahmad Khan took away the boxes and papers after unofficial results declared his rival Qaiser Hameed of the PML successful late Thursday night.

Reports said Advocate Imtiaz’s supporters stormed into the polling station immediately after the counting was over and unofficial result announced by the presiding officer and took away ballot boxes and papers.

The police registered a case against PML Chattha group leader Altaf Ahmad Cheema and his accomplices and conducted raids at their residences for arrest. Another case was lodged against former nazim Sheikh Ghulam Sarwar Hashami, who was again in the race, and his accomplices on the charges of firing on the rival supporters and injuring four of them.

Tension mounted at some places where police and Elite Force officials were deployed.

Meanwhile, the PML-N and the PPP dominated the show in Gujranwala by winning around 93 seats of nazim, naib nazim, general councillors, women and minority in 188 union councils, according to unofficial results.

The ruling PML captured more than 80 seats mostly in rural areas in Wazirabad, Kamoki, Naushera Virkan, Aroop, Nandipur and Qila Deedar Singh. Nine independent candidates also were declared successful.

The results of four constituencies were awaited till our going into press. The polling could not take place in two stations in Khiali Shahpur and Naushera Virkan union councils owing to clashes.

The election commission would decide about re-election in these union council shortly.

Meanwhile, the ruling party leaders, including ministers and parliamentarian, claimed majority in the district. The official results are expected to be declared on Saturday (today).

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