The by-polls on four vacant seats in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) of provincial and national assemblies did not end up not with vote-casting alone but with 10 casualties including two deaths due to armed clashes in NA-75, Sialkot-IV Daska.
As per the unofficial results, Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) is leading on three seats while ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is leading in one constituency.
According to the reports, the armed clashes in NA-74 Sialkot-IV Daska left eight people injured and two dead. The victims were sympathizers and supporters of different political parties, the police said.
The deceased including Majid and Zeeshan were shifted to Daska Tehsil Headquarters Hospital (THQ) while the injured were rushed to a local hospital.
The law enforcement agencies (LEAs) failed to control the law and order in the highly-tensed constituency of Punjab.
The jurisdiction police arrived at the crime scene after the firing incident and cordoned off the area.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) took notice of the incident and summoned a meeting on the law and order situation during polls on February 23.
The violent elections in the by-polls have raised serious questions on the performance of LEAs and ECP.
The episodes of rigging were repeated in Daska by-polls too.
Daska Returning Officer (RO) said that the staff of 14 polling stations went mysteriously missing.
Read Also
Kingmakers Zardari-Tareen Turn Up Before Senate Elections
PML-N Vice-President Maryam Nawaz shared videos of rigging in which the polling equipment was being taken outside the polling stations by unauthorized persons.
Just look at this 😳 CHOR pic.twitter.com/kmMVhXXEBs
— Maryam Nawaz Sharif (@MaryamNSharif) February 19, 2021
Senior Journalist Hamid Mir claimed that every local of Daska knew the addresses of the perpetrators except the police.
ڈسکہ میں آج جگہ جگہ فائرنگ کرنے والے موٹر سائیکل سواروں نے اپنی نمبر پلیٹیں اتار کر کہیں چھپا دی ہیں لیکن سارا علاقہ انکے ایڈریس جانتا ہے صرف مقامی پولیس بے خبر ہے 🤭 pic.twitter.com/1lGoUuOWzx
— Hamid Mir (@HamidMirPAK) February 19, 2021
Election Results
According to unofficial results, the candidates of PML-N are staying ahead in three constituencies including NA-75, Sialkot-IV Daska, PP-51 Gujranwala I, and PK-63 Nowshera III.
The ruling PTI has only managed to take lead in one of four constituencies, NA-45 Kurram I.