Despite concerns, the by-polling process for the 20 constituencies of the provincial assembly remained largely peaceful aside from the few reports of clashes between supporters of contesting parties.
According to the official data of the Election Commission of Pakistan, results from 2,612 of the 3,131 polling stations indicate PTI is ahead in 47.0 percent of polling stations as opposed to PML-N’s 39.1 percent.
After the result announcements, vice president of PML-N Maryam Nawaz who is down with COVID-19 tweeted that PML-N should accept the results and one should bow before the decision of the people. “In politics, there are always wins and losses, wherever there were weaknesses, efforts should be made to identify them and overcome them. God willing, it will be fine,” she said.
To maintain the law and order situation throughout the day, a heavy police contingent was deployed in all the constituencies across the province. Police had established a central control room to monitor the security situation.
In the morning the election process was witnessed very slow as very few voters came out to cast their votes. However, in the afternoon the turnout started to boom after people turned to polling stations.
In Lahore, the polling process went smoothly and peaceful. However, in PP-158 polling process was stopped for some time after the protest of Tehreek-e-Labaik supporters. They blamed that PTI supporters barred them from casting their votes while creating hurdles for them.
Punjab Home Department had imposed section 144 around the polling stations which was implemented by the police and law enforcers. However, police personnel were observed dealing with voters in their traditional way.
Many voters complained about police behaviour in treating them not properly. A voter at polling booth number 39 for the PP-167 informed Minute Mirror that a police sub-inspector was asking voters whom they were voting.
This was also observed that at many polling stations, police were reluctant to cooperate with media persons who were assigned to observe the election process. The paramilitary force’s personnel including rangers were put on standby during the elections.
The Rangers personnel were witnessed standing at many spots to monitor the situation. According to a Rangers spokesperson, Rangers personnel patrolled around the city in all the constituencies and were kept on standby at Katcha Jail Road, Johar Town and Ichhra.
Heavy contingents of Rangers force were deployed at polling stations 50 and 51 in constituency PP-168 after reports about tensions and brawls between the supporters of rival candidates.
DIG Operation and CCPO Lahore also remained in the field to monitor the situation.
DIG-Operations Chaudhry Sohail talking to the media said that no untoward incident was reported from the four constituencies of the provincial capital city. He said that the forces will perform their duty until the counting of votes and announcement of the election result.
According to Sohail, all four constituencies of Lahore were declared sensitive and their officials were ready to deal with any untoward situation. “I kept on monitoring the law and order situation which remained outstanding,” he said.
The Election Commission of Pakistan’s Secretary Umar Hameed Khan visited different polling stations in four constituencies in the provincial capital to monitor the election process. Khan has camped in Lahore for three days to monitor the situation.
According to the ECP spokesperson, the entire polling process was monitored through a screen in a control room established in Islamabad.
On other hand, despite the claims of making arrangements for the flow of traffic near polling stations, Traffic Police remained unable to fulfil their duties. However, supporters of different political parties were seen to maintain the traffic flow.
According to reports, the law and order situation in other districts was also witnessed as peaceful at large. Chief Minister Punjab Hamza Shahbaz congratulated all the concerned departments for holding impartial and transparent by- elections.
He lauded the concerned departments for working day and night so as to ensure the holding of peaceful elections. The voter used his right to vote in a peaceful environment, he added.
