HYDERABAD: Re-polling in two polling stations in this district was marred by clashes between supporters of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) on Sunday. It was held for six seats in one polling station each of UCs 28 and 35.

The results of the two UCs in the January 15 LG elections were withheld after disturbances.

The re-polling was to be held for the seat of UC chairman and vice chairman and one seat of ward-1 general councillor and likewise voters were to cast votes for the seats of chairman and vice chairman UC-35 and one seat of ward-3 general councillor.

Both these UCs were located in Mir Sarfaraz Kalhoro town of the city taluka.

Clashes were reported in ward-I of UC-28 again today between supporters of PPP and PTI. The violence continued on and off in the area throughout the polling process. Police intervened in the areas to separate embattled supporters but they kept gathering in the area again to make the situation tense.

Supporters of PTI, PPP keep fighting throughout polling process; policeman injured during violence

The result of the ward-1 general councillor was withheld at the combined polling station of UC-28 set up in the Govt Girls Primary School Razia Sultana on Jan 15. Nine panels of candidates for chairman/vice chairman slots were to contest the polls.

Then came merger of Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) and Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP) and candidates of two parties boycotted the polls.

This left seven panels of chairman/vice chairman in field belonging to PTI, PPP Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), Tehreek-i-Allah-o-Akbar (TAA) and three independent panels.

There were a total of 2,652 registered male and female voters at this polling station.

Eight candidates were in the field for wad-1 general councillor seat belonging to same parties. The said polling station of in Phulelli was declared ‘sensitive’ again.

The situation remained normal in UC-35 during the re-polling. The result of polling station No. 5, Govt Training College for main Tilak Incline in UC-35 for the seat of chairman and vice chairman and ward-3 general councilor was also withheld.

Nine panels belonging to PPP, TAA, Jamiat Ulema-i-Pakistan, Jamaat-i-Islami, PTI, TLP and independents for chairman/vice chairman were facing each other in this UC. Seven candidates were in field for ward-3 general councillor seat from same parties besides independents. This polling station was declared ‘sensitive’ where 2,160 were registered male and female voters here.

Official result would be announced later.

A local PTI leader, Imran Qureshi, condemned what he called ‘hooliganism’ by PPP activists in two UCs during the repolling. He accused the Election Commission of Pakistan and district administration of acting as the “B-team’ of ruling PPP.

District Election Commissioner Mohammad Yusuf said tension already prevailed in the UC-28 because polling was suspended and re-poling was ordered on account of a similar clash between supporters of political parties on Jan 15.

Re-polling was also held at one female polling station of ward-2 in Town Committee Jamshoro district. PPP’s Lala Sohrab was facing Jamshoro Ittehad’s Advocate Arshad Sahito advocate. Sahtio is said to have won the seat according to unofficial results. He bagged 704 votes and Lala 68.

Aerial firing was reported outside UC-35 polling station after a clash during recounting at the Training College polling station Tilak Incline.

PTI candidate Naeem was said to be having a lead over his rival PPP candidate Ghulam Mustafa Shah.

The clash took place after polling came to an end and counting was started.

It was learnt that a policeman, Adnan Khushik, was injured after having been hit with a stone in the violence.

DADU: A quarrel broke out among women voters at booth No. 1 of the Jamshoro ward-2, polling station.

The polling process had to be stopped due to the disturbances as the women police failed to to restore order. Male policemen intervened to bring the situation under control after two hours of disorder.

PPP mops up all seats in upper Sindh

SUKKUR: Pakistan Peoples Party candidates swept to victory, according to unofficial results, over all local government seats in by-elections held in Sukkur, Shikarpur, Jacobabad, Khairpur and Kandhkot districts on Sunday.

According to unconfirmed reports, PPP’s Ahmed Abdul Qadir Gopang bagged 247 votes to win UC-55 Shikarpur, easily edging out independent candidate Mohammad Nawaz Kalar who could get only four votes.

PPP candidates for chairman and vice chairman for the UC obtained 247 votes and the opponent only 12 votes while PPP candidate for general member bagged 245 votes and his rival received only 14.

In Sukkur UC-25, PPP contestant for chairman Mohammad Azam clinched win by getting 1,640 votes while JUI-F’s Ghulam Haider Chohan obtained 954 votes. PPP’s Jeewan Khan obtained 1683 votes for district council member while JUI-F’s Nazeer Ahmed received 895 votes. PPP candidate for general member Abdul Wahab got 76 to win defeating JUI-F’s Ali Gohar with 19 votes.

Election at a number of polling stations in Khairpur had been suspended on June 25 after clashes erupted between rival groups Jagirani. A man was killed and several others sustained injuries in the clashes.

Sources said that unofficial result of by-election in ward-5 of Kotdiji town committee in Khairpur district, PPP candidate Qurban Ali bagged 684 to win while his rival had boycotted the contest in protest against police action against his workers.

In Babarloi ward-5, PPP candidate Syed Ali Abbas Shah bagged 480 votes to win while Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf candidate Asghar Ali Jatoi received 159 votes.

According to unofficial results received from Kandhkot-Kashmore district, by-election was held at three polling stations in Dur UC-28, which was easily won by PPP candidates after boycott of JUI-F candidates.

PPP candidate for district council member Mir Ahmed Raza Sundari bagged 1201 votes while JUI-F’s Zafar Bhayo received only 15 votes. PPP candidate for chairman Kashif Bhayo received 989 votes to win the seat and JUI- F’s Mohammad Ali Bhayo got 14 votes. PPP candidate for general councilor Mohammad Salah won by obtaining 325 votes and JUI-F candidate Sultan Ahmed lost with 18 votes.

PPP candidate was nearing victory on five out of eight polling stations in Kandhkot-Kashmore district on June 25 and election was in progress at the remaining three polling stations when polling had to be postponed after attack on a polling station and kidnapping of the staff.

In Jacobabad district’s UC-29 Karimabad, PPP candidate for general member Ali Gul bagged 133 votes to win while his JUI-F rival Ali Nawaz was polled 87 votes. In ward-3 UC- 23 Kot Jangoo, PPP’s candidate for general member Riaz Ali received 831 votes and his rival JUI-F’s Mohammad Khan was polled 185 votes, according to unofficial, unconfirmed results.

Published in Dawn, March 27th, 2023