PML-N, MQM trounce opponents in LB polls

Islamabad - The MQM clinched 135 seats in the election for six Karachi districts.

The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) appear to have emerged victorious in the third and final phase of local government (LG) polls held in Karachi and Punjab on Saturday
The MQM clinched 135 seats in the election for six Karachi districts, trouncing the electoral alliance of the Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf (PTI), both of whom bagged 11 and seven seats respectively.
The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) emerged the runner up in Karachi, securing 32 seats, according to unofficial results.
In Punjab, the ruling PML-N has got commanding lead over all other political rivals winning about 960 seats out of nearly 2,500 seats in contention.
The independents have been placed in second position with 906 seats while the PTI could secure a distant third position with 276 seats.
The PPP has relatively fared better than the previous two phases, particularly in Rahimyar Khan and won over 100 seats.
PTI's senior leader Imran Ismail who supervised the campaign congratulated the MQM on its victory. All city presidents of the PPP, PTI and JI - Najmi Alam, Ali Zaidi and Hafiz Naeem - lost election.
MQM has indicated it will choose mayor out of its four leaders, on top being Waseem Akhtar. The final decision will be taken by MQM chief Altaf Hussain.
Meanwhile, raising a number of questions on Saturday's local government elections, Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) have demanded of Sindh Election Commissioner Tanvir Zaki to step down.
At a joint Press conference in Karachi at Idara Noor-e-Haq, Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman said polling started late in 90 per cent poling stations across the city.
PTI leader Ali Zaidi claimed that polling staff was changed and polling material was supplied in an inappropriate manner at some of the polling stations.
He said the election commissioner should resign for organising what he called a 'bogus election'. Ali Zaidi said consultations are ongoing whether or not to lodge an FIR against the election commissioner.
Chief Election Commissioner Sardar Raza Khan on Saturday said more than 80 million people exercised their right to franchise in the local government elections.
Briefing the media on the occasion of completion of the three phases of local government polls in Punjab and Sindh, the CEC lauded the role of army, Rangers, police and other law enforcement agencies in peaceful holding of polls.
He congratulated army, Rangers, police, polling staff and ECP officials over successful completion of three phases of local government elections in two major provinces of the country.
"I hope these institutions will continue to cooperate with the Election Commission in future as well," the CEC said.
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