ISLAMABAD: Some 16,195 candidates, with only 132 women, are in contest for local government elections, scheduled tomorrow (Sunday), in the 32 districts of Balochistan, where 5,226 polling stations have been set up, out of which, 2,000 have been declared as “highly sensitive” and 1,917 as “sensitive” by the authorities.
This data was issued by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Friday after a meeting to review arrangements for LG polls in Balochistan.
The number of registered voters in the 32 districts is 3,552,398, the data suggested.
Some 45,436 police officials have been assigned security duties for Balochistan LG polls, according to the electoral body.
Initially, on March 29, the electoral body announced LG polls in 33 of the total 35 districts of Balochistan on May 29 – except Quetta and Lasbela.
Balochistan government has increased the number of constituencies in these two districts, following which, the commission has launched afresh the constituencies’ delimitation drive in the two districts.
Later, however, the commission postponed LG polls in Chagai, which was included in the 33 districts where LG polls were scheduled on May 29, due to pending delimitation in some wards of tehsil Naukandiof district Chagai.
The LG polls’ schedule for Quetta, Lasbelaand Chagai would be issued after the completion of the delimitation drive, the ECP has said.
The LG polls would be held in Awaran, Barkhan, Kachhi, Chaman, DeraBugti, Duki, Gwadar, Harnai, Hub, Jafarabad, Jhal Magsi, Kalat, Kech, Kharan, Kohlu, Khuzdar, Loralai, Mastung, Musakhel, Nasirabad, Nushki, Qilla Abdullah, Qilla Saifullah, Panjgur, Pishin, Sherani, Sibi, Sohbatpur, Sohrab, Washuk, Zhob, and Ziarat.
The LG elections in 17 out of 36 districts of Punjab under the first phase were also scheduled on May 29 but ECP has revised this date to June 9.
The LG elections in Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) are scheduled in 50 union councils (UCs) on July 17.
In addition, LG elections are being held in 14 out of 29 districts of Sindh under the first phase on June 26.
The LG elections were held in the 35 districts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa in two phases in December last year and March this year.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022
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