All is set for third and final phase of the local body elections to be held on Thursday in which 690 candidates are contesting elections for the slots of district, tehsil and town nazims in 35 districts of the province.
As many as 432 polling stations have been set up all over the province, including 27 in Lahore District. There are 106 tehsils and 38 towns in the province where Pakistan Muslim League (Q) has fielded 306 candidates for district, tehsil and town nazims.
Pakistan Peoples Party (Parliamentarian) stands second, with 44 candidates out of whom 19 would contest for district nazims and remaining 36 for tehsil and town nazims in the province. Pakistan Muslim League (N) has fielded 44 candidates, 9 for district nazims and 35 for teshil and town nazims. The ARD is backing 38 candidates, 8 for district nazims and 30 for tehsil and town nazims.
Similarly, 15 candidates have support of MMA out of whom 4 would contest for district nazims and 30 for tehsil and town nazims.
Pakistan Peoples Party (Patriot) has also nominated its candidates for the third phase. Apart from political parties, 150 candidates are contesting elections in their independent capacity, while 62 people have filed their nomination papers as covering candidates.
The polling, which will start at 8.00 am will continue till 4.00 pm without any break. The government has adopted foolproof security arrangements to maintain the law and order. The districts of Kasur, Khushab and Jhang have been declared sensitive and rangers have been deployed there to meet any untoward incident. The opposition parties are accusing the Punjab Chief Minister of interfering in the non-party based LB elections for success of its favourite candidates.
Jamaat-i-Islami General Secretary, Munawar Hassan said the ruling party was using its full influence to bag all seats, particularly in Punjab and Sindh provinces. "The way, the government is exerting pressure on candidates for changing their loyalties, is highly condemnable." He also alleged that millions of rupees are being spent for success of government backed candidates.