Time for Local Body election campaign in Sindh, Punjab ends
The administration in Faisalabad is busy forcing van drivers to transport the election material
LAHORE (Dunya News) – The time to campaign for local body elections in Punjab and Sindh has ended at midnight, Dunya News reported.
The administration in Faisalabad is busy forcing van drivers to transport the election material.
As the time to end campaign was around the corner, the cheering, excitement and political activity was at its peak. The administration has also become fully active. The police in Lahore cracked down against those waving weapons and recovered 18 SMGs Rifles, 40 Pump Actions, 16 rifles, 19 guns, 4 revolvers and 70 pistols.
Meanwhile the Faisalabad administration is busy stopping and forcing vehicles to transport election material to the polling stations. As many as 500 vehicles are already parked at the Police Lines and stations, now the transporters and drivers will ‘work’ for the administration for 4 days.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has also increased the polling time by one hour. It has been made mandatory for the voters to bring original identity cards.
The opposition parties are sticking to their demands of deploying army and Rangers at the polling stations.
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Also Read: LB election fervor intensifies, police crackdown on exhibition of ammo
Local Body elections’ fervor kept intensifying on Thursday as Punjab and Sindh prepared itself for the upcoming event to be held after two days. The election campaigns will be closed at midnight Thursday. Police have started a crackdown against all individuals involved in the exhibition of ammunition. In Faisalabad, vehicles were being bought and routed for the delivery of electotion gear to the polling stations.
According to the details, police in Lahore started action against display of armaments. 18 Sub-Machine Guns (SMG), 40 pump action shotguns, 16 rifles, 4 revolvers and 70 pistols have been confiscated by the police so far.
The electoral administration in Faisalabad was seen repeating the same procedures it does in prior elections with last ditch efforts to get hold of any conveyance for the transportation of its election equipment and officials to the polling stations. 500 vehicles were parked in Police Line and stations. Transporters and drivers looked all set to enjoy the official hospitality and privileges.
Polling time for the LB election has been extended by one hour while instructions have been issued that all voters must bring their respective National Identity Cards (NIC) at the time of polling. The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has also assembled itself for the occasion.
Also Read: Opposition parties demand deployment of Army during LB polls in Punjab
Opposition parties including Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Jamat-e-Islami (JI) have demanded deployment of Army personnel during local body elections. Opposition has warned that if its demand is not met, it will go to court over the matter, reported Dunya News on Wednesday.
An emergency meeting was called by PTI in Lahore to formulate strategy on local body elections. It was decided in the meeting that Army’s deployment in local body elections is inevitable as state machinery including Punjab Police and provincial government will interfere in the proceedings.
