KARACHI – The official results show the ruling Pakistan People’s Party led the race in the second phase of the local government elections in Sindh.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Monday released the final consolidated results of 235 union councils in Sindh’s Karachi division.
The PPP is at the top with 94 union council seats followed by Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) which has won 486 seats so far. PTI has won 40 seats, PML-N seven seats, Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam and independent candidates with two seats each whereas Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Haqeeqi and Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan have a seat each to themselves for now.
The electoral body has said that the remaining results will be released by Monday evening, adding that this was “a complicated process and it takes time to prepare the result of one union council”.
It was reported that PPP bagged a major landslide in local government elections in Hyderabad while official numbers were still awaited. PPP candidates are also leading from Tando Fazal, Tando Jam, Hussainabad, Qasimabad, and Nironkot towns.
The development comes as contesting parties especially Jamat e Islami accused the PPP of ‘vote rigging and criticised the ECP for being a toothless authority.
In Hyderabad, the Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) contestants also rejected the electoral process and demanded ‘immediate intervention’ of authorities, it accused ECP for facilitating the ruling PPP in the rigging.
In Sunday’s voting, the overall turnout remained very low as the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan called the local government elections a ‘failure’ to win the mandate of masses after the party announced to boycott over ‘unjustified delimitation’.
