KARACHI: Up to 50 per cent of more than six million voters in 14 districts of Sindh cast their votes for more than 14,000 candidates who fought for over 5,100 seats — amid scuffles between the ruling PPP and its many rivals as well as mismanagement — in the second of three phases of local government elections in the province on Thursday.

The initial trend showed the PPP was leading in 12 districts, a group led by former home minister Dr Zulfiqar Mirza in Badin and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement in Hyderabad.

Originally, the second phase was designed to involve 15 districts of Hyderabad, Benazirabad and Mirpurkhas divisions, but later election in Sanghar district was postponed for security reasons. And a day before the polling, the Election Commission cancelled the election in another 76 union councils of the three divisions citing delimitation issues.

Also read: Situationer: 2nd phase may reinforce earlier trends

Although the elections remained largely peaceful, there were a few skirmishes between the PPP and its rivals.

MQM sweeps Hyderabad, Zulfiqar Mirza causes upset in Badin

In the most anticipated election in Badin where PPP’s disillusioned group led by Zulfiqar Mirza posed the biggest challenge for the first time in the district’s history, the results in urban municipalities mostly went in Dr Mirza’s favour, according to initial trend, while the PPP was leading in most of the city’s 64 union councils.

Badin was one of the districts where PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari had to campaign for his lightweight party candidates, yet unlike his impressive rallies, the results remained heart-wrenching for him as Badin municipal committee’s all 14 wards were grabbed by the Mirza group. The municipal committee of Matli was, however, retained by the party with 10 out of 11 wards.

Know more: Polling in 76 Sindh councils postponed

Save the town committee in Tando Ghulam Ali, which the PPP seized unopposed, the Mirza group was leading in Tando Bago, Pingrio and Nindo. The PPP won Khoski and Kadhan. The Mirza group, allied with PML-N’s Ismail Rahu, also secured Golarchi town committee. The result of Raju Khanani’s town committee was awaited while election on Kario Ghanwar and Talhar town committees was withheld by the ECP.

Reports suggested that the PPP was likely to win the district council in Badin, while most of its urban municipalities would be ruled by the Mirza group and the PML-N.

Polling in six constituencies of Hyderabad and Tando Allahyar districts was postponed on account of printing of wrong symbols on ballots.

Aseefa Bhutto Zardari cast her first vote in UC Meerabad, an area in Tando Allahyar’s Jhando Mari taluka, where her mother Benazir Bhutto had contested the election in 1997.

PPP candidates were leading in Matiari and Tando Mohammad Khan.

Skirmishes were reported from Dadu, where the PPP had clear edge over Liaquat Jatoi’s Awami Ittehad Party.

The PPP was in control in Thatta, but PML-N’s Shirazis put up a good show in Sujawal district.

There was a close contest between candidates of the PPP and MQM in Mirpurkhas municipal committee, while the ruling party was leading in many of its urban and rural wards.

The PPP had initially an edge in Umerkot and Tharparkar districts as well despite narrow wins for rival Arbabs and other groups.

Jatois in Nausheroferoze were on song in Moro while PPP candidates had to work hard in Kandiaro and other parts of the district.

The PPP, again, was in control in Benazirabad district, where the MQM too was flexing its muscles in Nawabshah city.

Many opposition parties and independent groups – all vying against the PPP candidates – accused the ruling party of abuse of power in the form of police and change in the polling staff on various pretexts given to the Election Commission. They even accused the PPP candidates of using polling staff in their favour.

Women’s vote was seen significant in most districts where they were seen casting their votes in droves. As expected, there were not many of PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari on the streets of these districts.

The estimated turnout was 45pc in Hyderabad and more than 50pc in other districts.

(Mohammad Hussain Khan and Gohar Ali Khan in Hyderabad, Mohammad Hashim Khan Bhurgari and Hanif Samoon in Badin, Qurban Ali Khushik in Dadu, Ghulam Hussain Khwaja in Thatta and Sujawal, A.B. Arisar in Umerkot, Qamaruddin in Mirpurkhas, Zulfiqar Memon in Nawabshah and Abdul Aziz in Naushahro Feroze contributed to the report)

Published in Dawn, November 20th, 2015