At least 11 people were killed and several injured in clashes between rival groups today during local body elections in Pakistan’s Punjab and Sindh provinces, following which army had to be called in to douse the tension. Clashes occurred in various parts of the two provinces where polling was held in 20 districts in the first stage of the three-phase polls. Overall 19 people were killed in both the provinces in poll violence. The worst incident took place in Khairpur in Sindh, an area known for consistent electoral troubles. The 14 deaths that took place there occurred for the most part when Pir Syed Ismail Shah Rashidi, the Pir of Pagara, entered a polling station with his supporters to cast his ballot. An incident of firing is said to have begun at this time. The incident needs to be investigated; the continued tensions in Khairpur are something that need to be resolved perhaps with the parties sitting together to do so. Other spots of trouble were also seen in parts of Sindh and in Punjab, where the worst incident took place in the Shahpur tehsil of Sargodha where three people were killed in a clash between supporters of rival political parties. In Faisalabad, shooting at the dera of former Punjab law minister Rana Sanaullah also created mayhem with Sanaullah accusing another PML-N leader Abid Sher Ali of initiating the violence. This violence has continued. Early on Monday morning, two PTI workers were killed during an election celebration in the Yakki gate area of Lahore as firing broke out. Dozens others were hurt in dangerously wounded conditions as a result of skirmishes. This is no way to conduct polls. The authorities will need to take action to guard against this as the next round of LB polls comes closer. The ECP and law-enforcement personnel both need to ensure the process is peaceful and orderly, and that going to vote does not mean risking one’s life.
pk.shafaqna.com
