Vote counting is currently underway for local government by-elections in 14 districts across Sindh after polling concluded, according to the police.

The polling process began at 8am and continued till 5pm in Karachi, Sukkur, Ghotki, Khairpur, Jacobabad, Larkana, Shaheed Benazirabad and Naushahro Feroze.

In a statement, Karachi South Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Asad Raza said the polling process had concluded “peacefully” and the counting of votes was under way.

“The performance of the police and other agencies was commendable and no untoward incident came to light,” he said about the 65 polling stations in district South.

On the other hand, Malir Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Tariq Illahi Mastoi told Dawn.com that two people were injured after a scuffle broke out during in Memon Goth.

He said the fight took place at a distance from the polling station, adding that the polling process was not affected. He said that the police rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control.

Meanwhile, the provincial election commissioner’s office instructed security agencies and local administration to remain vigilant after polling and tighten security as counting of votes was under way.

“All resources should be used to securely transport the polling staff and polling material to the offices of the returning officers,” the statement quoted Provincial Election Commissioner Ejaz Anwar Chohan as saying. He also issued the necessary instructions in this regard to Sindh Inspector General of Police Riffat Mukhtar.

Polling stations

In a notification, the Election Commission of Pakistan said 14 district returning officers and 20 returning officers were appointed for polling on 21 seats.

According to the electoral body, 163 polling stations were set up across Sindh. Seventy-two of the polling stations were declared ‘highly sensitive’ and 89 ‘sensitive’. As many as 616 polling booths were established — 312 for males and 304 for women.

In Karachi, the commission said, 121 polling stations were set up. Forty-two of the polling stations were declared ‘highly sensitive’ and 79 ‘sensitive’.

Chohan directed all relevant authorities to ensure polls were held in a free and fair manner.

The ECP also established a control room to monitor the election process.

Murtaza Wahab faces JI, TLP candidates

In Karachi, 54 candidates are contesting on nine vacant seats. Among the candidates, Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab and his deputy Salman Murad of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) are contesting the by-elections in nine union committees (UCs) in five of the seven districts of Karachi — Malir, South, Central, East and Keamari — for UC chairmen, vice chairmen and four general members.

Wahab had first filed nomination papers for the office of UC chairman on three seats in UC-13 Saddar Town, UC-3 Mauripur Town and UC-8 Ibrahim Hyderi but he returned unopposed from UC-8 after Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) contestant’s papers were rejected and PTI contender withdrew her nomination papers.

The mayor and his deputy, who had not taken part in the Jan 15 LG polls, are now contesting the by-polls in an attempt to meet legal requirements for staying in their current offices.

Now, the mayor is contesting from his home UC (UC-13, Kehkashan Clifton) against six other contenders, including three independent candidates, However, JI’s Noor-ul-Islam, Sikandar Agar of Tehreek Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) and Syed Obaidullah Shah of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl are being touted as his main rivals.

The deputy mayor is also contesting by-polls for the chairman’s seat from his native UC-7 (Gadap, Malir) against JI’s Ayub Khaskheli, TLP’s Salim Ahmed and Abdul Hafeez Jokhio of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf.

PPP’s Saleem Memon, PTI’s Mir Mohibullah and Maqbool Ahmed of TLP are also in the run for the seat of vice chairman in the same UC.

Six contenders are fighting it out with each other for the slot of chairman of UC-3 Mauripur. They are PPP’s Saifullah, Mohammad Zahid of PTI, JI’s Mohammad Hussain and Mohammad Zahid Iqbal of PML-N.

PPP’s Hamid Hussain, Imtiaz Khan of JI, Gulwaiz Khan of PML-N, PTI’s Mohammad Tahir and Atif Qadri of TLP are the main contenders for the office of vice chairman in UC-12 (Boat basin, Saddar Town).

For the slot of vice chairman UC-6 (Nanakwara, Saddar Town), PTI’s Mansoor Ahmed Shaikh and Mohammad Shahrukh of TLP, in addition to four independents, are in the fray.

Twenty candidates of different political parties are in the run for four seats of general member from ward-4 of UC-I Gadap Town, ward-3 of UC-2 Malir, ward-4 of UC-6 Jinnah Town in East district and ward-3 of UC-5 Nazimabad Town.

Earlier, Sindh police said that they had devised a security plan for the LG by-elections under which thousands of policemen were being deployed across the province while a quick response force would also remain on standby to deal with any untoward incident during the polls.