News

ECP asks Punjab, Sindh govts to identify sensitive polling stations for LG elections

Oct 22 2015
Pakistan
Source: 
Dawn

Iftikar A. Khan.-

ISLAMABAD: In order to determine where army and Rangers personnel should be deployed, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has sought reports from governments of Punjab and Sindh about ‘sensitive polling stations’ to be set up for the upcoming local government elections.

“Army and Rangers personnel cannot be deployed at all the polling stations,” ECP Secretary Babar Yaqoob Fateh Mohammad told reporters on Tuesday after screening of a video clip prepared for training of presiding officers and other election staff.

Last phase of LG polls in Punjab, Sindh on Dec 5

Oct 22 2015
Pakistan
Source: 
Dawn

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan approved on Wednesday a proposal to change the polling date for the last phase of local government elections in Punjab and Sindh to Dec 5.

An ECP official told Dawn that a notification about the change would be issued soon. In the original schedule, the polling date was Dec 3.

The commission agreed to change the date at the request of Tehreek Nifaz-i-Fiqah Jafria during a meeting between a TNFJ delegation and ECP Secretary Babar Yaqoob Fateh Mohammad on Monday.

Challenges women face in local body polls

Oct 22 2015
Pakistan
Source: 
Dawn

Xari Jalil.-

LAHORE: After a hectic day of door-to-door campaigning, Rubina Shaheen finally gets some time to breathe but not for long as local elections are just around the corner.

Rubina is contesting for the chairperson slot on PTI’s ticket for UC 200 which encompasses parts of Gulberg. And though the city is already marked with posters and banners, these are mostly of men. Nowhere around the main roads is there even the printed name of any woman contesting election.

PML-N UC candidate shot dead

Oct 20 2015
Pakistan
Source: 
Dawn

LAHORE: A PML-N candidate for the upcoming local body elections was shot dead in the Misri Shah police precincts on Monday.

Police said Imran, 45, and Mohsin Shah belonged to Wahdat Colony and were friendly with each other before candidates for the elections were announced. They said Imran got a ticket from the PML-N for Union Council-43 while Shah was supporting an independent candidate.

ECP to change polling date for last phase of LG polls in Punjab, Sindh

Oct 20 2015
Pakistan
Source: 
Dawn

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has agreed to change the polling date for the third and last phase of upcoming local government elections in Punjab and Sindh scheduled for Dec 3.

A four-member delegation of Tehreek-i-Nifaz-i-Fiqh-i-Jafaria (TNFJ) led by its secretary general Sakhawat Hussain Kazmi held a meeting with Chief Election Commissioner retired Justice Sardar Mohammad Raza Khan and other members of the commission here on Monday and asked for a change in the polling date, pointing out that the Chehlum of Imam Husain would be observed on the same date.

ECP says it had provided voter lists to PTI before by-elections

Oct 19 2015
Pakistan
Source: 
Dawn

ISLAMABAD: The Elec­tion Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has clarified that it had already provided to the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) voter lists used in the general elections 2013 and also those used in the recently held by-elections in NA-122 constituency.

Responding to a PTI statement on the issue of voter lists, a spokesperson for the commission said on Sunday that at the time of 2013 elections, there were 326,028 registered voters in NA-122 and during the by-elections held this year the number of registered voters was 347,762, increase of 21,734.

Rebel candidates ‘pose serious threat’ to PML-N in LG poll

Oct 19 2015
Pakistan
Source: 
Dawn

LAHORE: Fearing tough time at the hands of independent candidates in the local elections, the ruling PML-N has stepped up its efforts to set its own home in order before the electoral contest due on Oct 31.

“We’re facing a unique situation in which we have to work more on our own disgruntled colleagues than against the rival Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf,” a senior PML-N leader from Lahore told Dawn on Sunday.

Easing logistic issues: NA committee proposes big hike in election fees

Oct 19 2015
Pakistan
Source: 
The Express Tribune
ISLAMABAD: 

In a bid to keep frivolous contenders out of the electoral race, a National Assembly panel is set to recommend a hefty hike in the official fee to contest polls.

Under the existing legal framework, official fee to contest elections at a National Assembly (NA) seat is only Rs4,000 while Rs2,000 is the amount charged for contesting election for a provincial assembly or the Senate’s seat.

Intra-party polls: Jamaat-e-Islami elects new provincial heads

Oct 16 2015
Pakistan
Source: 
The Express Tribune

LAHORE: After an intra-party electoral exercise that kicked off around two months ago, the Jamaat-e-Islami announced its new provincial heads on Thursday.

Mian Maqsood Ahmed has been elected as the party’s Punjab chief, Mushtaq Ahmed Khan as the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa chief, Dr Merajul Huda as the Sindh chief and Maulana Abdul Haq Hashmi as the Balochistan chief.

JI chief Sirajul Haq will administer oath to the newly-elected provincial heads of the party on October 21 at JI headquarters in Lahore’s Mansoorah suburb.

ECP order on Kissan package set aside

Oct 16 2015
Pakistan
Source: 
The Express Tribune

 

Rizwan Shehzad.-
 
ISLAMABAD: 

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has accepted a government request to set aside the election supervisory body’s order of staying parts of the Kissan relief package.

A division bench comprising Justices Noorul Haq Qureshi and Aamer Farooq announced the short order on Thursday. After hearing the arguments of both parties a day earlier, the bench had reserved the judgment. A detailed verdict will be issued later on, said court officials.

RO rejects plea for NA-122 vote recount

Oct 14 2015
Pakistan
Source: 
Dawn

LAHORE: The Returning Officer of NA-122 rejected on Tuesday applications of two candidates who sought recount of votes cast in the Oct 11 by-election.

Rejecting the applications of Abdul Aleem Khan of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf and independent candidate Khurram Qureshi, RO Zahid Iqbal said he had invited all contestants and their representatives before announcing the final results, but no-one turned up.

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