Summary Ejaz Chaudhry called for re-elections after nullification of the current results
LAHORE (Dunya News) – Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Punjab leadership appeared split and confused over outcome of first phase of Local Body elections in Punjab province, Dunya News reported.
PTI Punjab leader Ejaz Chaudhry claimed that rigging took place “on large scale”, adding that the elections were contested with aid from the Returning Officers (ROs) while party s Member National Assembly (MNA) from Lahore Shafqat Mehmood conceded defeat saying their party s performance was weaker than that of the PML-N.
Addressing a press conference, Chaudhry said that PTI has refused to accept the results of the local body elections. He said the ROs changed the election results in the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party.
He said the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has failed to hold transparent elections. PTI leader demanded the current election be declared null and void and called for a re-election.
Mehmood, however, had a completely difference stance. Talking exclusively on Dunya News show Nuqta-e-Nazar, he accepted PTI s performance was way weaker.
Read: PML-N, PPP secure thumping majority in Punjab, Sindh LB polls
The ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has won the majority of seats in Punjab and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has secured most seats in Sindh in the local government elections, according to unofficial results released on Sunday.
The local polls, the first in 10 years, were held on Saturday in the twelve districts including Lahore, Faisalabad, Gujrat, Chakwal, Bhakkar, Nankana Sahib, Kasur, Pakpattan, Okara, Lodhran, Vehari and Bahawalnagar of central province of Punjab and eight districts including Sukkur, Khairpur, Shikarpur, Kashmore, Ghotki, Larkana, Shahdadkot and Jacobabad of the southern province of Sindh.
The two other provinces, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the northwest and Balochistan in the west, voted earlier this year. The PTI won in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in May but the PML-N and its allies came out on top in Balochistan in January.
Local bodies, in which voters elect councillors directly, devolve administrative and financial powers to lower tiers of electoral bodies.
According to unofficial results, the PML-N led with 1,159 out of 2,696 UC seats, with independent candidates gaining the second position with 997 seats in the first phase of local government elections in Punjab.
Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf (PTI) party only won 275 seats and the PPP secured 48 posts of union council chairman/vice-chairman.
In Okara, the PML-N clinched 137 slots of UC and the PTI 21. Ninety-two offices went to independents while PPP secured 20 seats.
In Kasur, the PML-N won 127, followed by independents 89 and PTI 85.
In Gujrat, the PML-N bagged 93 seats, independents 51 and PML-Q 35.
In Bahawalnagar, independent candidates won 162 seats, PML-N 52 and Muslim League Zia secured 3 UC slots.
In Bhakar, 27 seats went to the N-League, 36 to independents and one to the PPP.
In Vehari district, 54 seats were won by the PML-N candidates, independent candidates 81, PTI 27 and the PPP secured only 3 seats.
In Lodhran, PML-N grabbed 71, independent candidates 82, and PTI won 13 seats.
In Nankana Sahib, PML-N secured 62 seats, independent candidates 62, PTI 20 and PPP got two seats.
In Pakpattan, PML-N succeeded in clinching 61 UC seats, independent candidates 52, PTI 21 and Awami Tehreek won one seat.
