Karachi: People are voting in by-elections for local government bodies in 24 Sindh districts.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) announced that the by-elections for 63 seats across the province began at 8am and will last till 5pm without breaks.
Candidate campaigns finished at midnight Friday.
While, Karachi would have by-elections for 11 union committee (UC) chairmen and vice chairmen and 15 ward member seats.
Moreover, The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) is the dominant party in the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation, followed by the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) with a close margin. The 11 UC results may change this.
11 Karachi UCs include:
UC-4 New Karachi, UC-6 North Nazimabad
UC-13 New Karachi in District Central; UC-2 Korangi, UC-3 Shah Lateef Town, UC-8 Landhi in District Korangi
UC-8 Mominabad in District West UC-2 Bihar Colony in District South UC-2 Baldia in District Keamari
The PPP slammed the ECP for staging by-elections before mayoral elections, saying it would establish a poor precedent. ECP rejected PPP’s request.
Sindh by-elections include 449 polling stations and 434 candidates. These by-elections allow over 690,000 voters.
292 provincial voting locations are security-sensitive.
Moreover, Sindh Chief Secretary Dr. Muhammad Sohail Rajput recently instructed officials to install closed-circuit television cameras for electronic polling booth surveillance.
He ordered water, power, and other polling station amenities.
While, The ECP advised all presiding officers to ensure peaceful and fair polling in a news release. The statement said all polling agents of contesting candidates would receive form 11 and form 12 promptly following the polling process to maintain transparency.
The ECP rated all 168 voting locations in seven Karachi districts highly sensitive. City polls would be policed by almost 7,000 officers.
The provincial election commissioner instructed the Sindh chief secretary and inspector general of police to ensure peaceful and fair elections.
The provincial election commissioner warned that any official who failed to ensure calm and transparent by-elections would be severely punished.
Moreover, The ECP established a three-day central control room and monitoring cell in Islamabad to oversee Sindh by-elections.
The control room can be reached at 051-9204403, 051-9210838, 051-9204404, and ddmonitoringisb@gmail.com for polling complaints.
JI alleges PPP rigging.
Moreover, A day earlier, JI Karachi chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman accused the PPP government of rigging, citing reports that the district West presiding officers had been ordered to cast bogus polls in favour of the ruling party before the polling began.
He also alleged the state was targeting governing party opponents in Ittehad Town and other metropolitan neighbourhoods.
While, JI head alleged many transfers and postings were instructed to influence outcomes.
He said the party would not tolerate any onslaught on Karachi’s mandate. If the PPP tried to rig the election, JI teams would fight back.
He cautioned that the PPP government would be liable for any negative consequences of resisting rigging.
Moreover, 17 districts, 38 seats
Hyderabad: 17 districts of the four divisions would have by-elections for 38 chairmen, vice-chairmen, district council, and general members.
The Sindh police will secure the ECP’s 147 by-election polling locations in 17 districts.
While, Saturday saw ECP officials transport ballot boxes and other materials to election locations.
Hyderabad would have by-elections for:
Moreover, Matiari district council seat
One Tando Allahyar general member seat,
Five Hyderabad district union committee chairs and vice-chairs,
Five Hyderabad district general member seats,
One general member seat in Jamshoro, two chairmen and vice-chairmen seats in Dadu, and two general member seats in Badin.
Two Thatta chairmen and vice-chairmen.
Thatta’s general member seat
One Sujawal chairman, vice-chairman, and general member position.
Hyderabad district will host most of the Hyderabad division’s by-elections, with 50 candidates and over 45,000 voters in 10 constituencies.
While, The ECP has deployed CCTV cameras at all 37 highly sensitive district voting locations.
Moreover, In the Sukkur division, voters will elect one chairman, vice chairman, and general member in Sukkur district, one union committee chairman and vice chairman in Ghotki district, and two general members in Khairpur district.
Moreover, In Nawabshah, preparations are ready for by-elections for one union council chairman and vice-chairman seat in Naushero Feroz, one general member seat in Shaheed Benazirabad, and one general member seat in Sanghar.
Jacobabad, Shikarpur, and Kashmore districts would each have a general member by-election in Larkana.
