MULTAN, Aug 18: Heightened enthusiasm among candidates and their supporters led to petty brawls and major clashes some of which ended up in irreparable losses in most of the polling stations across Punjab on Thursday.
The stakeholders showed zeal and aggression better than the previous local-body election’s.
Scuffles, brick-batting, clubbing and use of firearms at some places on the day of the first phase of the elections in southern Punjab claimed lives of three people. Scores of people suffered injuries.
There was hardly any polling station where the supporters of rival candidates averted scuffles. However, the overall law and order situation remained under the control of the civil administration as the need to call in the military did not emerge any where.
Anjum Iqbal was shot dead in Qasimpur area of Multan’s Union Council No 45 while two others, Azhar Iqbal and Javed Iqbal, were hurt when some people from their rival camp opened fire. The victims were said to be the supporters of Mirza Sarfraz Baig while the attackers belonged to the Rana Shahid group.
The injured were admitted to the Nishter Hospital. The police did not institute any case till last reports came in.
Bashir Ahmad was clubbed and severely injured in Aalampur union council.
Similarly, Sanaullah Hinjra was reportedly clubbed to death in Khajiwala union council of Fort Abbas in Bahawalnagar district. Two people were reported injured in a clash that took place in Qureshi Colony of Bahawalnagar.
As many as nine people were wounded in UC No 45 in Mailsi area of Vehari district where one Naeemullah allegedly opened fire when he was stopped from entering a polling booth for women. Two of the injured were brought to the Nishter Hospital in serious condition.
The police had arrested four accomplices of the suspect who, however, was at large till our going into press.
The supporters of Kitchi and Chauhan groups exchanged fire at village 70/ER. The clash left three people injured.
In the ancestral Naurang Shah village of provincial minister Husain Jehanian Gardezi in Kabirwala tehsil (Khanewal district), Saddaqat Bhatti was severely beaten up allegedly by the minister’s henchmen. The victim was supporting Shafiq Magsi, the rival candidate of the minister’s nominee. In Sahiwal, Liaquat Ali was stabbed to death allegedly by his son-in-law when he was sitting at the polling office of a candidate for the nazim slot of UC No 1 at village 81/5R. The police, however, claimed that the murder had nothing to do with the election.
GUJRANWALA: A man was killed while several other people, including a judicial magistrate and an ASI, suffered injuries during clashes in Khiali Shahpur, Aroop and other parts of Gujranwala city.
Ironically, the army continued to patrol various city roads throughout the day but did not turn up at the troubled spots.
Reports said Muhammad Amin, 55, was standing outside the Union Council No 32 polling station when the supporters of rival group of Chaudhry Asim Anees, a hopeful for nazim’s slot, opened fire on him, killing him on the spot.
Two supporters, Shahzad alias Sheri and Muhammad Shafiq, were injured and taken to the civil hospital where the condition of the former was stated to be serious.
The assailants also beat up an assistant presiding officer, special judicial magistrate Taseer Ahmad, and torched an official vehicle.
In Aroop Town, two dozen people, including ASI Azeem Raza, were injured in a clash between two groups. The supporters of nazim hopeful Naveed Anwar Bhinder, a nephew of state minister Shahid Akram Bhinder, and his contender Fareed Iqbal Awan clashed with clubs and rifle butts. As a result, two dozen people suffered injuries and they were taken to the DHQ hospital.
The polling process was once again disrupted and remained suspended for well over two hours. The police and district administration, however, controlled the situation.
Reports of violence poured in also from Kamoki and Gakkhar towns where several people were injured. The police arrested many assailants and took unlicensed weapons into custody.
SIALKOT: A voter was killed in an exchange of fire between two rival groups while two rival candidates for nazim’s slot were grievously injured in different parts of Sialkot.
Reports said Muhammad Afzal Rajput was shot dead outside the polling station at Seokey-Bogray village of union council Bogray (Daska) where he had gone to cast his vote. The clash took place between Akram Metala and Butt groups. The suspects, however, fled firing in the air.
The polling remained suspended for about an hour. Villagers protested against the murder, demanding arrest of the suspects. The Motra police registered a case.
PML hopeful Mustansar Abbas and ARD’s Shahzad Khan were hurt in a clash at Joriyaan union council and were admitted to the Allama Iqbal Memorial (DHQ) hospital in critical condition.
The polling remained suspended for half an hour in the afternoon, as the crossfire created panic among the voters. The Sialkot Saddar police registered a case against the offenders.
SAHIWAL: Clashes among the supporters of candidates in seven polling stations in Sahiwal left 23 injured — 12 of who were admitted to the DHQ Hospital in serious condition. A child was killed in a clash at one of the polling stations.
At the polling station in Chak 100/9-L, Gadhianwala, Shahwaiz, 8, was killed when the supporters of candidates hurled stones at one another.
Seven people were injured in a clash at Chak 96/6-R polling station. The condition of Ejaz, Faisal Shahzad, Muhammad Riaz and Nasir Shahzad was stated to be serious.
At the polling station set up in Sahiwal city’s Dosehara ground, four people were injured in firing.
The supporters of two candidates for the seats of general councillors attacked one another with clubs at the polling station in Nangal Ambia High School No 2, Mohalla Eidgah. Candidate Dilawar’s brother injured Abdul Aziz, who was hospitalized.
Altaf Ahmad, Muhammad Yousaf and Qutab Ali were injured at Chakbandi polling station in an armed clash. Another eight people were injured in clashes at three polling stations in Muhammadpur, Yousafwala and Dera Rahim villages.
SARGODHA: Minor clashes and scuffles between the supporters of some candidates marred the polling process in Bhalwal, Chak 35-NB, Sargodha city and at some polling stations in Khushab.
According to reports, the enthusiasts traded fire over petty disputes in Bhalwal’s block No 3 and polling station for women in UC Nos 150 and 151. No casualty was reported.
BAHAWALPUR: Javed Iqbal, a candidate for the slot of nazim of Union Council No 37 (Hasilpur tehsil) was arrested for allegedly attacking and injuring his opponent candidate, Javed Pasha.
According to reports, Javed Iqbal injured his opponent Mr Pasha. Javed Iqbal belongs to the Sadiq Dost group, led by Nawab Salahuddin Abbasi. DPO Arif Nawaz confirmed the arrest.
Several other reports of arrests following skirmishes and brawls reached the district.
DERA GHAZI KHAN: The elections generally remained peaceful in Dera Ghazi Khan, though an aspirant for nazim’s slot was arrested for having a clash with a woman assistant presiding officer in the urban union council.
According to reports, the police arrested Khalid Bilal Sikhani of the Jamal Leghari group, an aspirant for UC No 7 nazim, on the report of Assistant Presiding Officer Zarina Bibi. The Saddar police registered a case.
In Muzaffargarh district, Bashir was gunned down by Ghafoor near the polling station of Hinjrani union council.
VEHARI: The Vehari district also witnessed violence as over 50 voters, including women, suffered injuries in election-related clashes.
The polling process was disrupted many times at women polling stations. The turnout was around 40 to 50 per cent.
In the polling station No 8 of the UC 1, the process was stopped several times and the presiding officer and other staffers seemed helpless.
Some women complained that Danywal police station SHO Chaudhry Abdul Rashed misbehaved with them while others accused the presiding officer of favouring the PML candidates.
Clashes in many other polling stations left a number of people injured.
RAHIM YAR KHAN: Clashes, injuries and arrests created tension in various polling stations in Rahim Yar Khan.
Several people suffered bruises and minor injuries during scuffles. The polling process was disrupted time and again in various polling stations.
An armed clash was reported in Mauza Dhando of UC Ghazipur in Khanpur.