Karachi (Staff Report/Agencies): The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Monday released partial results of the local government elections in Sindh's Karachi division, with the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) currently leading the race.
According to details, the electoral body released the results of 170 out of 235 union councils.
So far, the PPP is leading with 80 union council seats followed by Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) which has won 49 seats.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has won 29 seats, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) 6 seats, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) and independent candidates with two seats each whereas Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan and Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan have a seat each to themselves for now.
Though the elections were largely held in a peaceful manner, the PTI and the JI accused the PPP of vote rigging and the ECP for acting as a silent spectator.
On the other hand, the ruling PPP blamed its rivals, mainly the PTI, for deliberately sabotaging the peaceful process after sensing defeat in most parts of the province, including its stronghold Karachi.
The situation emerged hours after polling ended at 5pm on Sunday, with parties alleging that the results of the second phase of the local government elections in Sindh were deliberately being delayed in Karachi.
However, the ECP on Monday, while responding to criticism from political parties for the delay in issuing local body poll results, said it is a "complicated matter which takes time" and assured that results that have been compiled were being dispatched to the returning officers' (RO) office.
Speaking to newsmen in Karachi, Provincial Election Commissioner Sindh Ejaz Anwar Chohan said that the election commission amicably performed its duty of conducting second phase of local bodies election in the province.
He said that results of all the constituencies will be ready by the evening.
On January 15, the second phase of the local government elections in Sindh was held in 16 districts of Sindh including East, West, South, Central, Korangi, Keamari, and Malir of the Karachi division; and Hyderabad, Dadu, Jamshoro, Matiari, Tando Muhammad Khan, Tando Allahyar, Badin, Sujawal, and Thatta of the Hyderabad division.
Around 8,706 polling stations were set up for the local body polls with 1,204 for males and 1,170 for females in the Karachi and Hyderabad divisions. Out of the total polling station, over 8,000 were declared as “sensitive” or “highly sensitive.”
In Hyderabad, 6,774 candidates contested for 1,675 seats of chairmen, vice chairmen of union councils/union committees, and the general wards.
While in Karachi, 9,058 candidates are in the race for 246 seats of chairman, vice chairman, and general member.