Polling stations in Rawalpindi, Islamabad see mixed turnout
ISLAMABAD: As the day of a historic election drew to a close, visits to a number of polling stations and conversations with polling staff in and around the Islamabad/Rawalpindi area seemed to indicate that the turnout had not quite been what could have been hoped for.
The overall turnout in the twin cities was recorded at around 50 per cent, and the number of voters in the urban areas here was said to be lower as compared to the rural areas. In NA-54 (Islamabad), for example, presiding officers said that turnout of voters in the urban areas of the constituency remained between 30pc to 35pc till noon, but was recorded over 48pc in the evening. In the rural areas of the same constituency, the turnout was said to be much higher, in some places rising to 70 per cent. Those exercising their right of franchise included all cross-sections of society, including women, senior citizens, and the youth.
The final turnout, however, will be made available after polling stations’ final results are compiled.
More enthusiasm was apparent in the rural areas
Referring to the fact that fewer voters were visible on Wednesday in Rawalpindi and the Cantonment area as compared to the 2013 polls, some senior politicians blamed the situation on the increased number of polling stations. “This year, a polling station was established for 1,000 votes, so the turnout is less visible,” said one.
In almost all constituencies, polling started at its scheduled time of 8am and in some cases carried on beyond the deadline of 6pm. The Election Commission of Pakistan, on the orders of Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, had allowed all voters who were present inside and outside the polling stations in queues to cast their votes.
The law and order situation remained under control in the twin-city area.
Tauqeer Akbar Raja, presiding officer at Westridge (Rawalpindi), said that polling staff did not entertain requests that votes be allowed to be cast in the absence of original Computerised National Identity Cards (CNICs).
At the women’s polling station at Raja Bazaar, only 250 women had cast votes till 3:30pm, of 1,731 registered voters. At the men’s polling station in the same area, only 300 had cast votes out of 1,337 voters. The men’s polling station at the Government Ziaul Islam School had recorded 129 voters till 2:00pm. A very low turnout (till 3pm) was recorded at the women’s polling station at Government Gordon College, Liaquat Road, with only 141 votes cast out of 1,476.
In NA-54, a snapshot of the turnout can be gauged from the following: at a polling station at the Islamabad Model School for Boys in G-9/3, a little over 500 votes were polled against 1,100 registered male voters; and at the Islamabad Model School for Girls at Jhangi Syeddan, 3,103 votes were polled against 4,547 registered votes.