Troops fanned out across the troubled areas to cope with the situation. Once peace and order was restored, polling was resumed in those polling stations where voting had been suspended.

Polling was held in 12 districts of the province, including Quetta, which has 67 union councils. However, polling was not held in the 12 union councils of Dera Bugti where candidates, including those for the posts of nazim and naib nazim, had been elected unopposed. In Qila Abdullah, polling is scheduled to be held on Aug 28.

Women were allowed to vote freely in all the 12 districts of Balochistan and there were no attempts by political parties or tribal elders to bar women from the poll process.

But the situation was chaotic inside women polling stations for most of the time as voters there jostled around in their eagerness to cast their ballots first.

The polling started at 8am and continued without break until 5pm. However, polling staff allowed voters present in the premises of the polling station to cast their ballots even after 5pm.

The first incident of violence was reported at Fatima Jinnah Road where supporters of two candidates attacked each other with daggers and injured two persons outside a polling station for women.

Army personnel rushed to the site and took control of the polling station. The injured were taken to the Civil Hospital in Quetta.

Several incidents took place in Gawalmandi, Sabzal Road, Kharotabad, and Pashtoonabad, resulting in injuries to 18 people. Polling was temporarily halted in some polling stations for some time.

Reports from the interior of the province said that there were incidents of firing and clashes in various areas. At least 10 people were injured in Zhob district when rival groups traded gunfire. The incident took place outside a polling station for women in Killi Shiekhan where law-enforcement agencies had arrested two persons contesting the post of nazim.

In Loralai, four incidents took place in which nine people were injured, two of them seriously. In Babu Muhalla, supporters of Muslim League-Q and Pashtoonkawa Milli Awami Party fired weapons on each other, injuring two persons.

In Killi Nasaran, five persons were injured in a clash with stones and sticks.

According to reports, two groups of the ruling PML beat up each other. Gunfire was also exchanged but no one was hurt. Police arrested four persons in connection with the violence. Reports of clashes on a small scale were also received from Turbat.

A duty magistrate sentenced a man to three months’ imprisonment for attempting to take a stuffed ballot box away from a polling station in Kohlu township.

Reports said that polling was largely peaceful in areas such as Kalat, Chaghi, Panjgur, Washak, Jhal Magsi, Lasbela and Musakhel.

The turnout was discouraging at the start of polling in the provincial capital but it improved after 10am when people started coming out of their homes to vote.

Sources said the overall turnout in the 12 districts of Balochistan remained around 30 to 35 per cent.

However, the situation in women polling stations was different and long queues of women voters were witnessed in various areas of the provincial capital.

The polling was held in a largely peaceful atmosphere in Quetta and only a few scattered incidents of scuffles and clashes were reported from some areas.

One major complaint about the poll related to blurred printing of symbols on ballot papers which was a source of confusion for voters.

There were reports of mismanagement at polling stations for women with voters reluctant to stand in queues.

Voters complained about the posting of male presiding officers and staff at several polling stations for women.