Errors of 2013 elections repeated in LG polls: FAFEN

ISLAMABAD: The Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) has said in a report issued here on Sunday that same shortcomings and irregularities were repeated in yesterday’s first phase of Local Government Elections in Sindh and Punjab as those surfaced in the 2013 General Elections.

The Pakistani election watchdog said purpose of pinpointing the shortcomings of electoral process was to avoid the same in next polls.

Speaking at a press conference, FAFEN’s Sarwar Bari, Zahir Islam and Zahid Islam said the report was prepared after visiting 249 polling stations in Punjab’s 12 districts.

According to the report, 14.6 per cent incidents of violence were reported during the polling while the process initiated with a delay in four districts of Punjab; Lahore, Bahawalnagar, Lodhran and Kasur.

Out of total 249 polling stations under observation, 71 per cent security officials were deployed inside and 10 pc outside the polling stations. Percentage of meddling in the polling process remained at 7 per cent.

Former chairperson of FAFEN Sarwar Bari went on to say that irrelevant people were also allowed to enter few polling stations in Lahore.

The first phase of LG poll contest was held in 12 districts of Punjab and 8 of Sindh.

According to unofficial results for 2,326 seats out of 2,696 in the Punjab, PML-N leads with 1,049 seats while PTI grabbed 251. The PPP bagged 42 while the PML-Q secured 44 seats.

Independent candidates succeeded on 912 seats in the province. The Jamaat-i-Islami and PAT secured 2 seats each.

In Sindh, 1070 seats were contested and unofficial results for 829 are out. The position in Sindh looks something like this: PPP leads with 596 seats followed by Muslim League-Functional with 61, while independent candidates secured 142 seats.