Delayed start in Aziz Bhatti Town

LAHORE
The polling remains peaceful in Aziz Bhatti Town for the Local Government election on Saturday while complaints of the delay start of voting at majority of the polling stations was reported.
Aziz Bhatti Town consisted of Union Councils 140 to 152 and the areas are Fathe Garh, Rasheed Pura, Nabi Pura, Salamt Pura, Wahrra Sattar, Harbans Pura, Panj Pir, Razzaq Colony, Taj Pura, Alfaisal Town, Rangers Headquarter, Gildisht Town and Nawan Pind Harbans Pura.
The polling in the areas of Taj Pura, Alfaisal Town, Rangers Headquarters and Guldasht Town remained slow in the morning while it picked up in the afternoon. In the other areas, polling remained consistent since morning.
However, in some polling stations, policewomen were not available which disturbed the polling process many times. The ladies presiding officers there were unable to control the rush of voters as well as polling agents were not cooperating with the polling officers. Due to that at such polling stations, the lady presiding officers halted the polling to maintain peace.
The code of conduct of the polling was openly violated in almost every polling station, expect those polling stations which were located on the main roads. The contesting councillors, chairmen and vice-chairmen and their both male and female supporters were openly going inside the polling stations while police officials were not stopping them.
The polling staff was also untrained and some polling agents were deputed first time for the election duty.
Dominance of the PML-N candidates was also observed in all union councils, followed by independent candidates, while in few UCs PTI candidates were also seen in run. The PPP and PTI did not pitch their candidates in half of the UCs of the town. This proves that both political parties did not contest election properly. On councillors’ seats, mixed trend was observed. The voters were freely giving votes to independent candidates or other party candidates for councillor seat while giving vote for chairmen and vice-chairmen to the PML-N, PTI and independent candidates. It was observed that councillor votes were cast purely on personal relation basis of the contesting candidates, their attitude and behaviour in their respective local community.