



The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) swept to victory in the first phase of the local government elections held in 12 districts of Punjab on Saturday. PML-N voters seemed to have put a gaping difference between the ruling party and all other candidates contesting the LG polls held after almost a decade.





According to unofficial results, the PML-N secured 351 union council seats, with only independent candidates coming close to the ruling party with 283 seats.The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) performed abysmally, as they managed to win only 81, four and seven seats, respectively.Twelve Punjab districts – Lahore, Faisalabad, Gujrat, Kasur, Okara, Vehari, Bahawalnagar, Chakwal, Pakpattan, Lodhran, Bhakkar and Nankana Sahib – marked their ballots in the first phase of the LG elections.According to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), the number of registered voters in these 12 districts was 20,085,329 – 11,310,912 male and 8,774,417 female voters.In its bastion Lahore, the PML-N won 93 of the 274 UCs to maintain its stronghold over the provincial capital. Independent candidates managed to win 11 seats, while the PTI secured only three.The unofficial results of 30 of Faisalabad’s UCs show that the PML-N won 10 seats, independent candidates nine and the PTI only one.In 62 of Chakwal’s UCs, independent candidates secured 28 seats and the PML-N 21, while the PTI and the PML-Q managed to win seven seats each.In Gujrat, the PML-N won six seats and the PML-Q four. In Nankana Sahib, the ruling party bagged 14 seats, independent candidates 10 and the PTI five.A major disappointment was witnessed in Faisalabad’s UC-116, where Amir Sher Ali, elder brother of Abid Sher Ali, was defeated by an independent candidate, Ashiq Rehmani, fielded by Rana Sanaullah Khan. Amir was considered a favourite of the PML-N for Faisalabad Municipal Corporation (FMC) mayor and Sanaullah had been making all-out efforts to kick him out of the race.The other upset occurred in UC-145, where Sanaullah’s favourite for FMC mayor Malik Riaz, younger brother of MPA Malik Muhammad Nawaz, was defeated by Malik Sajid Sohail Advocate, fielded by Chaudhry Sher Ali from the Mayor Group. The advocate was also backed by the PTI and the Jamaat-e-Islami.Misprinting of ballot papers caused postponement of LG polls in Okara’s UC-15, and Bahawalnagar’s UC-75, UC-31 (ward 1), UC-37 (ward 1) and UC-13 (ward 3). In Lodhran, elections in three UCs were suspended because the candidates contesting the polls died of natural causes before balloting started.“LG elections are the basic pillars of the democratic rule of government in a democratic system, and a milestone in the survival and strengthening of democracy,” said Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif in a statement.He said the results of the LG polls received so far had verified the results of the 2013 general elections. “LG elections always play an important role in strengthening the democratic system and promoting democratic norms.”He said the first phase of the polls had concluded peacefully in the province. “All the candidates have played a role in strengthening the democratic system. The future of Pakistan depends on democracy.”Published in The Express Tribune, November 1, 2015.