Balochistan completes third phase of LG polls

QUETTA: With the election on 612 seats reserved for labourers and peasants, the third phase of local government elections was completed in Balochistan on Wednesday in a peaceful manner amid heavy security.

Balochistan is the only province in the country which has complied with a Supreme Court order regarding local bodies elections.

Of the 1,486 seats reserved for labourers and peasants, candidates on 769 had already been elected unopposed while 105 seats are vacant because no nomination paper was filed in Awaran and parts of Turbat and Panjgur.

Tough competition was witnessed on six seats in the Quetta Metropolitan Cor­pora­tion and eight in the Quetta District Council where the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) and All Parties Democratic Alliance (APDA) comprising the PML-N, both factions of the JUI, PPP, ANP and Hazara Democratic Party were in the run.

Both panels have strong candidates for the top slots of the corporation and council.

The PML-N and PkMAP, coalition partners in the provincial government, are fighting for the post of mayor and district council chairman.

According to unofficial results, the PkMAP and APDA have won three seats each in the Quetta Metro­politan Corporation and four seats each in the District Council.

Dr Kalimullah, Jamshed Dotani and Yousaf Khan of the PkMAP and Nadir Ali, Faiz Lehri and Yahya Khan Nasar of the APDA have won the elections.

Observers believe that both Kalimullah Khan and Yahya Khan Nasar could be candidates for the post of Quetta mayor.

Provincial Election Commissioner Syed Sultan Bayizeed said that polling was held throughout the province peacefully and no untoward incident was reported from anywhere.

Heavy contingents of police and other security forces were deployed at 338 polling stations.

Later addressing a press conference, APDA leaders Wahid Agha, Rasheed Nasir, Aslam Rind and Raza Wakeel demanded of the Election Commission of Pakistan to hold elections for the offices of mayor, deputy mayor, chairman and deputy chairman of all local bodies’ institutions immediately.

< Dawn >

Kudos to Balochistan: Local polls held

BALOCHISTAN deserves praise for being the first in the federation to hold local government polls on Saturday since the elected local bodies were wrapped up nearly four years ago. It has set an example that the other provinces, more stable and developed than Balochistan, should follow. The elected third tier of government is an essential component of democracy anywhere, but more so in Balochistan, considering the province’s particular circumstances. Because of the Baloch people’s lack of trust in Islamabad and other factors, such as the remoteness of many communities from the provincial capital, elected local representatives can play a key role in bringing development, prosperity and peace to the province. The fact that the polls went ahead and citizens participated is a positive sign. It shows that all is not lost and that the democratic process has continued despite the many hurdles that threatened to scuttle the polls, such as the separatists’ boycott, kidnapping of candidates and the general level of insecurity in Balochistan. The provincial government should be praised for holding the polls despite all odds.

However, it is also true that polling was not entirely a seamless affair. Reports indicate election staff arrived late in some areas, while there was a shortage of staff in other locations. It is also disturbing that women voters were temporarily barred from casting their ballots in Nushki district before the authorities intervened. And while incidents of election-related violence were few in number, the turnout was low in areas where the separatists have clout. Now that the elections have taken place, perhaps the real challenge starts. The newly elected local representatives will have to work overtime to resolve the people’s problems in Balochistan — and these problems are clearly many. In the meantime, the Punjab and Sindh governments must seriously ponder what is preventing them from holding local polls. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa administration should also do the same if it can shift its focus from sit-ins and blockades to the larger issue of the people’s welfare.

< Dawn >

Balochistan votes peacefully in local bodies’ polls

QUETTA, Dec 7: Amid tight security, polling for local bodies’ elections was held largely in peaceful manner in Balochistan on Saturday.

Acting Chief Election Commissioner Justice Nasir-ul-Mulk visited different polling stations here and expressed satisfaction over the polling process.

Around 18,000 candidates are in the run for 4,600 seats of local bodies, including Quetta Metropolitan Corporation, four municipal corporations, 53 municipal committees and 32 district councils.

According to the Election Commission of Pakistan, 2,507 candidates have been elected unopposed and 508 seats have remained vacant because no candidate has filed nomination papers for them.

Except a few incidents of violence -- including firing incidents and clashes between rival groups in different areas -- the polling process remained peaceful across the province. Over 30 people were injured in the incidents.

Polling could not be held in Harnai district because some political parties and candidates staged a sit-in against the district returning officer (DRO) and returning officer (RO). The provincial authorities immediately intervened and changed the deputy commissioner and the additional deputy commissioner who had been working as the DRO and the RO.

Polling was suspended in some polling stations in Chaman, Qila Abdullah, Pishin, Mastung, Kalat, Zhob and Nasirabad due to minor clashes between the supporters of political parties.

Women voters faced problems in Gharibabad area on the outskirts of Nushki town as they were stopped for casting their votes. Amid protest by the women voters, local administration intervened and allowed them to cast their votes.

“Some people stopped women from casting their votes but the local administration resolved the issue after negotiation,” Assistant Commissioner Mohammad Younis Sanjrani told Dawn over telephone.

A similar situation was reported from Qila Saifullah where local elders decided not to allow women to cast their votes. However, local administration did not confirm the report and said that a large number of women had cast their votes in the district.

“There is no tradition of barring women from voting in Balochistan,” Home Secretary Asad Gilani said.

In some areas the start of polling was delayed because of non-availability of voter lists and election material and late arrival of polling staff at polling stations.

Over 54,000 personnel of the army, Frontier Corps, Balochistan Constabulary, police and Levies Force were deployed across the province to ensure peaceful polling.

Nine districts had been declared sensitive areas but no major incident of violence took place there, according to official sources. However minor clashes were reported from Qila Abdullah and Kalat.

In Quetta, a large number of male and female voters were seen going to polling stations since morning. “Long queues of voters were present at male and female polling stations in different parts of the city and on its outskirts,” an official said.

Voter turnout was encouraging in Quetta and its suburbs. According to an estimate, around 35 per cent votes were polled in the first four hours in central areas of the city. Official sources said that overall turnout stood at 45 per cent in Quetta district.

“Since morning we are facing a huge crowd of voters,” the presiding officer of a women’s polling station in Nawan Killi said, adding that 30 to 35 percent votes were cast in the first four hours.

In the city areas dominated by Hazara community, media teams found male and female voters casting their votes in an enthusiastic way. Even in the suburbs of Quetta, including Sariab area, people were found casting vote in large numbers.

A better turnout was witnessed in some Baloch areas where it looked dismal in May 11 general elections. However, the turnout was better in Pakhtun areas than those populated by Baloch people.

According to sources in the provincial home department, the turnout stood at 70 per cent in Mastung, Nushki (65 per cent) Pishin (55 per cent) Jhal Magsi (50 per cent) Nasirabad, Kohlu, Qila Abdullah, Sibi and Kuchhi (45 per cent) Jaffarabad, Qila Saifullah, Dera Bugti, Musakhel and Shirani (40 per cent) and Barkhan (35 per cent).

But in Gwadar and Panjgur, the turnout was estimated at 15 and 20 per cent, respectively.

The turnout remained low also in Awaran, Washuk, Kharan and some other areas. In Awaran, 30 candidates have filed nomination papers for 121 seats and 24 of them have returned unopposed.

< Dawn >

In Pictures: Balochistan Local Body Elections

QUETTA, Dec 7: Polling for local bodies’ elections was held largely in peaceful manner in Balochistan on Saturday. Around 18,000 candidates were in the run for 4,600 seats of local bodies, including Quetta Metropolitan Corporation, four municipal corporations, 53 municipal committees and 32 district councils.

Balochistan sees highest turnout of voters

Except for the two National Assembly seats where results have been withheld, Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has issued results of the other 13 constituencies that went for by-polls on Thursday.
The commission has also compiled the voter turnout for the National and provincial assembly seats separately.

According to ECP statistics, only 22% voters came out to cast ballots for the two National Assembly seats NA-1 Peshawar and NA-13 Swabi in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) against 45% in the May general elections.

The turnout of voters for NA-48 Islamabad was second lowest after K-P’s two seats. It was only 32%. During the general elections in May this year, 62% voters came out to cast ballots.

For the six NA seats in Punjab province, NA-68, NA-71, NA-83, NA-103 and NA-177 overall turnout of voters remained 42% against 60% in general elections.

In Sindh province, 39.18% voters came out to cast votes for the three National Assembly seats of NA-235 Sanghar, NA-237 Thatta and NA-254 Karachi as compared with 54% in the general elections.
The NA-262-Killa Abdullah, the only national assembly seat of Balochistan that went for by-polls, turnout was 35.2% against 42% in general elections.

Provincial assembly seats
Interestingly, for the provincial assembly constituencies that went for by-polls, Balochistan had highest turnout of 49.42%. By-polls were held in three Balochistan assembly constituencies PB-29 Nasirababd, PB-32 Kachhi, PB-44 Lasbela. In the 2013 general elections overall turnout in Balochistan for provincial assembly seats was only 40%.

For the 15 provincial assembly seats of Punjab the overall turnout of voters was 36.75%  — much lower than the general elections in May when it was 58.52%.

In the four Sindh assembly constituencies where the by-polls were held, only 37.94% voters used their right while it was 36.63% for K-P assembly’s four seats.

Three months back in the 2013 general elections overall turnout for Sindh Assembly was 54.62% while for K-P it was 44.74%.

Among the provincial assembly seats that were contested on Thursday the highest turnout was in PB-32 Kachhi which was 70% as per the statistics put together by ECP. The lowest turnout was witnessed in Punjab Assembly seat PP-123 Sialkot at 18.33%.

< Express Tribune >

The Baloch: Dr Abdul Malik

QUETTA: Dr Abdul Malik Baloch — nominated for the post of Balochistan chief minister — will be the first chief executive of the province who is neither a tribal chieftain nor member of any family of former rulers of princely states.

A medical doctor by profession, Dr Malik belongs to a middle-class and educated family of Kech district.

Born in Sigenisar village near Turbat in the family of Haji Abdul Salam, a zamindar, Dr Malik got his early education from a village school and did his intermediate from the Government Collage, Turbat.

He completed his MBBS from the Bolan Medical College and later specialised in eye surgery. He ran a clinic in Turbat for a brief period before entering active politics.

Dr Malik played an active role in Baloch Students Organisation (BSO). In 1987, he formed a political party — Baloch National Youth Movement (BNYM).

Not satisfied with the performance of the BNYM, he later formed Balochistan National Movement (BNM) with Dr Abdul Hayee Baloch as its chairman.

Dr Malik first contested election in 1988 for a Balochistan Assembly seat from the platform of Balochistan National Alliance headed by Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti and Sardar Ataullah Mengal.

He won the seat and was made health minister in the cabinet of Nawab Akbar Bugti. In 1993 general elections, he won a provincial seat and served as education minister in the cabinet of Nawab Magsi.

In 2004, the National Party (NP) came into existence as a broad-base political party with the merger of Dr Malik’s BNM and Mir Hasil Khan Bizenjo’s National Democratic Party.

Dr Hayee was elected first president of the NP and now Dr Malik is its head. From 2006 to 2012, Dr Malik remained a member of the Senate and aised his voice on the issues of Balochistan in the upper house of the parliament.

He played a major role in discussions over the 18th Amendment and in encouraging the PPP to surrender the entire Concurrent List of the constitution to provinces.

Dr Malik is considered as the most popular leader of the NP among party activists.

During the campaign for the 2013 general elections he managed to win the sympathy and support of tribal chieftains and sardars who won their traditional seats.

The main challenges before Dr Malik as chief minister would be the problem of corruption in the province, the missing persons issue, security challenges and good governance.

Political observers are of the opinion that Dr Malik would have face big challenges as the chief minister of the province, but most of them say he has the ability to rid the province of its ills and put it on the right track.

< Dawn >

11 women get on Balochistan Assembly reserved seats

File Photo: Dr. Fozia Marri as the first ever Deputy Speaker of the Balochistan Assembly,

QUETTA  - Election Commission of Pakistan has announced the names of candidates of different parties elected on 11 women and 3 minority seats in Balochistan Assembly, on Tuesday.

According to ECP notification, Kiran Haider, Samina Khan and Rahila Durrani of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, Sipozmay Achakzai, Masuma Hayat and Farzana of Pashtoon Khwa Milli Awami Party, Yaseen Lehri and Shahma Ishaq Baloch of National Party, Shahida Rauf and Hussan Banur of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F) and Ruqia Hashmi of PML-Q have been elected members of Balochistan Assembly on women reserved seats. Similarly, on minority seats, PML-N’s Santosh Kumar, PkMAP’s William Barkat and Andrew Maseh of NP have been elected members of Balochistan.

After the notification, PML-N’s seats increased to 18, PkMAP’s 14, NP’s 11, JUI-F’s 8 and PML-5.

< The Nation >

Despite threats, Balochistan saw record turnout in polls

File Photo: Care Taker PM Mir Hazar Khoso and CM Balochistan, Nawab Ghaus Baksh Barozai

Islamabad: Despite militants’ constant threat to bar candidates from casting votes in the May 11 polls, Balochistan witnessed a record turnout of 43% for the first time in election history.

In the 2008 general elections, the turnout remained 31% after several nationalist parties boycotted the polls. This time round, though turnout was low in some districts like Kalat, Punjgur, Gwadar, Makran, Khuzdar, Mastung and Dera Bugti, polling was carried out in stations throughout Balochistan, Provincial Chief Election Commissioner Syed Sultan told The Express Tribune. Militants failed when people came out of their homes to exercise their right to vote on the polling day, he said.

“The 2013 elections were the first ever impartial polls in the history of Balochistan,” observed Mir Amanullah Khan Gichki, a Balochistan politician. “Violent forces failed to stop voters from casting votes, even in Baloch-dominated areas. People wanted peace through ballots now,” said Mir, who has served as Pakistan ambassador as well as minister in the federal cabinet.

1,300,628 from a total of 3,336,659 votes were cast in the 2013 general elections while 1,367,001 of 4,365,273 voters exercised their right to vote in the previous elections.

Though leaders of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians claimed that results were manipulated through record levels of rigging in several constituencies – they did agree that through these elections, people defeated the militants.

< Express Tribune >

List of winners of Balochistan Assembly seats

Islamabad

Following is the unofficial list of winners of Balochistan Assembly seats.

PB-1

Winner - Tahir Mehmood Khan

Pakistan Muslim League (N)

PB-2

Winner - Syed Muhammad Raza

Independent

PB-3

Winner - Nawab Muhammad Ayaz Khan Jogezai

Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party

PB-4

Winner - Raza Mohmmad Bareech

Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party

PB-5

Winner - Nasar Khan Zeerey

Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party

PB-6

Winner - Ahmad Ali Kohzad

Hazara Democratic Party

PB-7

Winner - Haji Gul M Dammar

Pakistan Muslim League (F)

PB-8

Winner - Agha Syed Liaquat Ali

Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party

PB-9

Winner - Abdul Malik Kakar

Jamiat Ulama-e-Islam (F)

PB-10

Winner - Sirdar Gulam Mustafa Khan Tareen

Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party

PB-11

Winner - Hamid Khan Achakzai

Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party

PB-12

Winner - Eng. Zamarok Khan

Awami National Party

PB-13

Winner - Abdul Majeed Khan Acakzai

Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party

PB-14

Winner - Sardar Muhammad Nasir

Pakistan Muslim League (N)

PB-15

Winner - Mahaz- Ul -Allah

Jamiat Ulama-e-Islam (F)

PB-16

Winner - Ubaid Ullah Jan Babat

Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party

PB-17

Winner - Sardar Abdul Rehman Khetran

Pakistan Muslim League (N)

PB-18

Winner - Mufti Gulab Khan

Jamiat Ulama-e-Islam (F)

PB-19

Shaikh Jaffir Khan Mandokhail

PML-Q

PB-20

Winner - Maulana Abdul Wasi

Jamiat Ulama-e-Islam (F)

PB-21

Winner - Sarfaraz Chakar Domki

Independent

PB-22

Winner - Abdul Raheem Ziar Tawaal

Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party

PB-23

Winner - Nawab Zaada Jangiz Marri

Pakistan Muslim League (N)

PB-24

Winner - Sarfaraz Ahmed Bugti

Independent

PB-25

Winner - Mir Jaan Muhammad Jamali

Pakistan Muslim League (N)

PB-26

Winner - Rahat Jamali

Pakistan Muslim League (N)

PB-27

Winner - Mohmmad Izhar Hussain

Pakistan Muslim League (N)

PB-28

Winner - Mir Abdul Majid Abro

Jamote Qaumi Movement

PB-29

Winner - Abdul Ghafoor Lehri

Pakistan Muslim League (N)

PB-30

Winner - Mir Muhammad Asim

Independent

PB-31

Winner - Mir Aamir Khan

Independent

PB-32

Result awaited

PB-33

Winner - Sardar Sanaullah

Pakistan Muslim League (N)

PB-34

Sardar Muhammad Bazinjo

National Party

PB-35

Muhammad Akhtar Mengal

Balochistan National Party

PB-36

Winner - Mir Khalid

National Party

PB-37

Winner - Mir Zafar Ullah Khan Zehri

Balochistan National Party (Awami)

PB-38

Winner -Nawal Muhammad Khan Shahwani

National Party

PB-39

Winner -Mir Ammanullah Nutizai

PML-Q

PB-40

Winner -Babo Raheem Mengal

Independent

PB-41

Winner -Mir Abdul Quddus Bazinjo

PML-Q

PB-42

Result awaited

PB-43

Result awaited

PB-44

Winner -Jam Kamal Khan

Independent

PB-45

Winner -Muhammad Saleh Bhutani

Independent

PB-46

Winner - Abdul Kareem Nausherwani

Pakistan Muslim League (Q)

PB-47

Winner -Mir Mujeeb ur Rehman Hasni

Independent

PB-48

Winner -Abdul Malik

National Party

PB-49

Winner - Muhammad Azeem

National Party

PB-50

Winner - Muhammad Akram Dashti

National Party

PB-51

Winner -Mir Haml Kalmti

Balochistan National 

Party.

< The News >

Baloch VS Baloch: BLA killed Son, brother and nephew of Sardar Zehri

QUETTA, April 16: Four people were killed when an election convoy of PML-N’s Balochistan leader Sardar Sanaullah Zehri came under a bomb attack in Anjira area of Khuzdar on Tuesday.

Sardar Zehri survived the attack but his son, brother and nephew and a guard were killed. At least 25 people were injured.

The PML-N leader is contesting for one national and one provincial assembly seats from Khuzdar and Kalat districts.

The banned Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for the bomb attack. In a call from an unspecified place, BLA’s spokesman Jiand Baloch told BBC that his organisation had carried out the attack.


Sources said there were about 30 vehicles in the convoy. The powerful blast took place at a bridge near the Anjira area of Zehri tehsil. “The son of Sardar Zehri, his brother, nephew and a guard were killed on the spot when their vehicle was blown up,” Qazi Hussain Ahmed, Deputy Inspector General of Police, Khuzdar Range, told Dawn. Three other vehicles were badly damaged, he said.

“The blast took place when the bullet-proof vehicle of Sardar Zehri had crossed the bridge,” the sources said. Some reports suggesting that Sardar Zehri had received minor injuries were not confirmed by officials and PML-N sources.

Commissioner of Kalat division Dr Mohammad Akbar said that an improvised explosive device (IED) planted under the bridge was detonated with remote control, but it could not explode because of jammers in the Sardar vehicle. But the IED hit the vehicle carrying his son Sikandar Zehri, brother Mir Meharullah Zehri, nephew Zaib Zehri, killing them and the guard whose identity could not ascertained till late night.

The commissioner said the district administration had not been informed about the movement of the convoy. Besides, Dr Akbar said, Levies Force personnel posted in the area were not trained and had no equipment to detect explosive devices. “It is the first blast of its nature in the area,” he said.

The injured were taken to the Khuzdar district hospital where at least five of them were in critical condition. Interior Minister Malik Habib has asked Balochistan’s inspector general of police to submit a report about the incident.

After the bomb attack, the provincial government strengthened security of Sardar Sanaullah Zehri and deployed 25 soldiers of Anti-Terrorist Force and Levies Force.

< Dawn News >

Quetta visit: Kayani wants an inclusive election in Balochistan

File Photo: General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani visiting Balochistan Institute of Technical Training running under Southern Command at Quetta

In what appears to be a move aimed at quelling growing divisions in the province, Army Chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani on Thursday urged all political parties in Balochistan to participate in the upcoming elections.

Arriving in the provincial capital of Quetta, Kayani held in depth meetings with Balochistan Governor Zulfiqar Ali Magsi and caretaker Chief Minister Nawab Ghous Bakhsh Barozai.

According to a statement issued by Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the meetings discussed the conduct of the upcoming general elections and the overall security situation in the province.  General Kayani reaffirmed the Army’s commitment to extend all possible assistance to the Election Commission of Pakistan for holding free, fair and peaceful elections.

He assured the provincial leadership that the armed forces would welcome an “all inclusive elections” in the province. Kayani emphasised the need for participation by all political parties in the May elections, and was quoted in the statement as saying “The army is prepared to extend all necessary support in this regard.”
The army chief’s statement came just weeks before what many believe will be a historic democratic transition from one civilian administration to another.

A military official told The Express Tribune that the army strongly believes that the revival of political activities in Balochistan would help address the longstanding problems of the province. Balochistan’s nationalist parties boycotted the general elections in 2008. However, there are growing signs that many are now willing to participate in the May 11 polls.

The chief of Balochistan National Party Sardar Akhtar Mengal, who recently returned home ending a four-year self imposed exile, hinted at his party’s participation in the election process. But Mengal’s party is under pressure from radical nationalists to stay away from the polls.

Nevertheless, many political parties including National Party, Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party, Awami National Party, Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (F) and Jamat-e-Islami have already announced their participation in the elections, including the candidates they plan to field in the upcoming polls.

< Express Tribune >