Votes transfer, rigging complaints emerge

LAHORE:Amidst complaints of rigging, late start in the polling process and strict security measures, polling for the 12th general election held peacefully in the provincial metropolis here on Thursday.

The polling started at 8.00 am in the city and ended at 5pm but in many areas, citizens complained about late start in polling in several localities.

Polling staff, however, claimed that polling started on time but was delayed for 5 to 10 minutes due to the absence of polling agents or other technical reasons. A visit of different constituencies by the scribe revealed that a rush of people was witnessed at most of the polling stations.

Camps of political parties especially Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PMLN), Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) and independent candidates were established outside the polling stations.

Heavy contingents of police were also present outside the polling stations while many polling stations were surrounded by barbwires by the police. Only a few personnel of armed forces were seen patrolling the city roads.

A good turnout of voters was seen outside the polling stations and supporters and voters of independent candidates were also vigorously involved in bringing their voters to the polling stations.

At many places, it was witnessed that political parties Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PMLN), Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) were also using pick-up vans and other vehicles to bring the voters to the polling stations.

Candidates of all the parties as well as independents were also seen on the city roads visiting different polling stations in their respective constituencies. At many polling stations, the major complaint of the voters was that votes of some of their families were transferred to other areas due to which they were facing difficulties.

Many young voters, who were casting their vote for the first time, alleged that they live in far away from the area where their votes were transferred but they came all the way to cast their votes. Meanwhile, the leaders of political parties, especially PMLN and Sharif family casted their votes and hoped that they will form the government.

Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif came to cast his vote in constituency NA-128 along with Chief Organizer PMLN Maryam Nawaz and IPP’s candidate Aon Chaudhary. The PMLN leader stamped the election symbol Eagle of IPP’s candidate Aon Ch. Shehbaz Sharif and his wife also voted in NA-128.