KARACHI: Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) released results of Local Government polls in Karachi, with Pakistan Peoples’ Party emerging as largest party with 93 seats. Election watchdog has received results of all 235 seats in Karachi division. Jamat-e-Islami followed with 86 seats whereas Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf secured 40 seats.

Matiari district was first to submit its polling results. Regional Election commissioner and District Returning Officer Matiari Syed Nadeem Haider stated that results of all 345 polling stations of 30 Union Councils (UC), six town committees and one municipal committee of Matiari were sent to drop box of provincial election commissioner’s office.

ECP, while responding to criticism from political parties for delay in issuing Local Body poll results, said it is “Complicated matter which takes time” and assured that results that have been compiled were being dispatched to returning officers’ office.

Speaking to media, Provincial Election Commissioner for Sindh Ijaz Anwar Chauhan said  delay in results was caused by need to compile results. “This is complicated process and it takes time to prepare result of one union council.”

Chauhan explained that each UC had four wards and an average of 20 polling stations. He furthered that if result of even one polling station was unavailable, result of entire UC would be incomplete.

Meanwhile, Jamaat-e-Islami, PTI and PPP raised questions regarding delay in election results and demanded that results be released soon.

PPP Karachi President Saeed Ghani feared that entire election process might become controversial due to delay and urged Election Commission of Pakistan to finish its work as soon as possible.

JI Karachi leader and mayoral candidate Hafiz Naeemur Rehman claimed that election results were being changed due to rigging and that party was not provided Forms 11 and 12. He added that deputy commissioner had called for recount.

PTI workers protested outside offices of deputy commissioner west and district returning officer. Protesters alleged that police had become former President and PPP leader Asif Ali Zardari’s force and were aiding in changing election results.

In Hyderabad, according to unofficial results, PPP seems to have swept LG polls in all nine districts of Hyderabad Division except for couple of upsets at hands of PTI and Grand Democratic Alliance.

The JI spokesperson claimed that his party bagged more than 100 seats, PPP over 80 seats and PTI 50 seats in Karachi.

As per unconfirmed results so far, no party had been able to secure a clear majority for mayor’s crown.

There were some wards where members had won by 31 and 150 votes as per unofficial results.

Published in The Daily National Courier, January, 17 2023

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