Polling in Lahore affected by slow voting

Polling in Lahore city was marred by slow voting due to inexperienced returning staff of the Election Commission of Pakistan(ECP). Polling on 13 national and 25 provincial seats started at 8am continued till 5pm. The ECP extended the polling time till 6pm that was, however, implemented partially, as there was no voter after 5pm at most of the polling stations.
All major political parties including PML-N, PPP, PTI, JI and JUI-F, have fielded their candidates on national and provincial assemblies seats in Lahore and as per estimates, the real contest is between the PML-N and PTI candidates on most of the NA and PA seats.
In Lahore district, polling stations and polling booths were established where 3,366 polling officers, 17,976 Assistant polling officers' along with others performed duties. There were 4,410,095 registered voters including 2,515,400 female in the Lahore district who voted their candidates.
A total of 287 candidates representing different political parties including independents were in the run against 13 seats of National Assemblies and 690 candidates for 25 Punjab Assembly seats. Prominent among the candidates for National Assembly seats were: Mian Nawaz Sharif of PML-N from NA-120, Mian Shahbaz Sharif of PML-N from NA-129, Imran Khan of PTI from NA-122, Samina Khalid Ghurki of PPP from NA-130, Bushra Aitzaz of PPP from NA-124, Shafqat Mahmood of PTI from NA-126, Khawaja Saad Rafique of PML-N from NA-125, Malik Muhammad Pervaiz of PML-N from NA-123, Dr Yasmeen Rashid of PTI from NA-120, Liaquat Balouch of Jamaat-i-Islami from NA-126, Farid Paracha of JI from NA-121, Hamid Khan of PTI from NA-125.
The highest numbers of 24 contestants were in NA-123 and NA-129 each while in NA-119, 18 candidates were in field. PP-159 is the only constituency in city which witnessed the contest among the highest number of 44 candidates and PP-142 is having minimum number of only 14 contestants compared to all other Punjab Assembly constituencies.
EU observers in the eastern city of Lahore monitored the process and said the voting was going smoothly. There were also reports of delay in starting polling process from some polling stations. Caretaker Minister for Information and Broadcasting Arif Nizami cast his vote in Defence Housing authority (DHA), which has constituencies NA-125 and PP- 155.
Talking to media at the polling station at American Lycetuff School, the minister appreciated it as a healthy sign that people in good numbers were turning up to exercise their right of vote. He hoped that this time the turn out would exceed that of 2008 elections, which had 43 percent voters turn out.
To a question, he regretted that in some areas staff and ballot papers were unavailable, adding that election commission should take notice and resolve such issues as soon as possible. He said that caretaker government has accomplished 99 percent of the assigned task, adding that the credit also goes to caretaker Prime Minster who discharged his duties with full commitment and zeal.
He noted that law and order situation in Lahore was satisfactory. However, he said that efforts were made to obstruct the elections process but with concerted efforts polls were being held on time. The family members of the minister accompanied him and caste their votes at the same polling station. Pakistan Peoples Party Lahore president and candidate for NA-130 Samina Khalid Ghurki has expressed her satisfaction on the polling process.