DM Monitoring
ISLAMABAD: Polling time for local body elections in cantonment boards across Pakistan concluded at 5:00 PM and unofficial results were pouring-in immediately.
The first few unofficial results of Cantonment Boards Elections (CBE) were received before midnight, showed independents in the lead with 39 seats, followed by PTI who have 38 seats. Among the Opposition parties, PML-N has won 24, PPP has won 11, ANP 2 and the Jamaat-e-Islami has won one.
A total of 1,569 candidates stood for elections in 219 wards of 42 cantonment boards.
Of the candidates vying for a total 219 wards, seven candidates have already been elected unopposed. In addition, there is no competition in four wards of Kamra, none in one ward of Rawalpindi and none in one ward of Pano Aqil.
Therefore, polls today were held in 206 wards.
The polling process started at 8am and continued till 5pm. Voters inside the polling station were able to cast their votes despite polling time ending. The gates were closed for those queued outside.
Despite results across all wards not being complete, parties began claiming support shown by people and declaring victory.
PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif thanked God and the people who had shown the party support through their votes in the polls.
“We assure the people that we will not disappoint them and will leave no stone unturned in resolving their hardships and issues,” he said.
“We will take the country on the path to development, progress and prosperity with renewed vigour. InshaAllah,” he added.
PPP’s Murtaza Wahab, meanwhile, declared victory in several wards of Karachi’s Clifton Cantonment Board.
He claimed the party has won for the first time from polling stations of PNT Colony in Ward 10 of the Board.
He went on to claim that Ward 9 has also been secured by PPP.
He further claimed PPP’s triumph in Ward 2.
Later, claimed the party’s victory in all of Ward 10. “Alhamdolillah PPP has emerged as the largest party of CBC so far. Well done PPP workers,” Wahab said.
Traditional rivalry between competing parties was witnessed earlier too in today’s polling exercise.
Strict security arrangements were made at all the polling booths. The ECP had directed the provincial governments to install cameras at the most sensitive polling stations and said that presiding officers would announce the results at the polling stations after counting ends.
All polling agents and candidates will receive a copy of the result from the Presiding Officer.
In Sunday’s polls, 684 independent candidates from across the country are in the fray while 876 candidates from political parties are also contesting.
The highest number of candidates is 183 from PTI, while 144 are from PML-N, 113 from PPP, 104 from Jamaat-e-Islami, 42 from Muttahida Qaumi Movement, 35 from Pak Sarzamin Party, 34 from PML-Q and 25 candidates from JUI-F.
Furthermore, 83 candidates of the banned Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan are also contesting.
