QUETTA: The local government election in 32 districts of Balochistan concluded Sunday evening peacefully while counting of the votes began.
The polling process, which started on time, continued without break till 5:00 p.m in the province apart from Quetta and Lasbela.
Since morning, great enthusiasm was witnessed among voters especially youth who came in large number to polling stations to elect their representatives for local government.
The turnout of voters was good, the voters thronged to polling stations to cast their votes in large number as high turnout was expected.
The supporters of candidates setup private polling booths outside of the premises of polling stations for educating the voters. They also hired private transport to facilitate senior citizens, women and persons with disabilities.
As many as 23,835 candidates were in the run of contesting election on 6259 wards. Similarly, 1584 candidates have been elected unopposed on general seats and election was conducted on 4456 remaining wards.
The Election Commission of Pakistan had setup 5226 polling stations including 576 for male, 562 for female and 4088 combined for facilitation of voters and 149 polling station are improvised.
Similarly, 12219 polling booths including 6350 for male and 5869 for female were also established to facilitate voters.
Out of these polling stations, 2034 were declared most sensitive and 1974 sensitive where elaborate security arrangements were made.
Frontier Corps personnel were deployed at all sensitive polling stations for maintaining law and order.
An Emergency Control Room was established in the office of IG Police to ensure peaceful conduct of local body elections in 32 districts of Balochistan.
The schedule for polls in the two districts, Quetta and Lasbela, will be announced later as delimitation for the elections was underway there following an increase in constituencies by the provincial government, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) said.
Polling began at 8:00 am and will continue until 5:00 pm without any pause, the agency said. It further announced to have made tight security arrangements to avoid any kind of untoward incident during the polls.
Overall 3,552,398 registered voters took part in the process while 5,226 polling stations — 576 for men and 562 for women — were set up across Balochistan. 1,974 polling stations were declared sensitive and 2,034 as highly sensitive.
The voting process is being monitored by the special secretary from the Balochistan office of the election agency.
Earlier in the day, Balochistan Chief Election Commissioner Fayyaz Hussain said all the election-related arrangements at the polling stations have been completed and a heavy contingent of law enforcement has been deployed in all 32 districts.
The office of the chief election commissioner, Sikandar Sultan Raja, said any foreign interference in the process will not be tolerated and strict action will be taken against the violators of the election code.
Raja asked the people of Balochistan to come out and exercise their right to vote.
Earlier in the day, the commission rejected a plea from the Balochistan government to postpone the elections.
During the hearing, Raja said the ECP could not reverse its decision to hold the elections and if Quetta will make excuses, it will take up the matter with the Supreme Court.
Meanwhile, the provincial government has imposed Section 144 (power to issue order absolute at once in urgent cases of nuisance or apprehended danger), except for Quetta and Lasbela.
Under the law, a ban has been imposed on the carrying and displaying of all kinds of weapons, pillion riding, strikes or slogans, and the use of tinted glass on vehicles.
The orders, put in place on May 27, will remain in force till May 30. It would, however, not be applicable to personnel of law enforcement agencies.
