Islamabad: The party of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has emerged at the top in local government elections in Pakistan’s 42 cantonment areas held after 17 years.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) won 67 wards in Cantonment Board elections in central Punjab province, its stronghold, according to complete unofficial results available Sunday, a day after the polls.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) of Imran Khan was runner up by winning polls in 43 wards, majority of these in northwestern Khyber Pakistan where the party is in power.
Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) of its London-residing chief Altaf Hussain got the third position, winning polls in 19 wards in cantonments in southern Sindh province.
Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) was winner in seven wards, Jamaat-e-Islami in five and Awami National Party (ANP) in two wards.
Polls in as many as 57 wards in different cantonments in the country were won by independents.
The election in Ormara cantonment of southwestern Balochistan province could not take place because of a dispute over demarcation of wards.
Out of nine wards contested in three cantonments of Balochistan, eight were won by independents,
The country’s Supreme Court had expressed annoyance at failure to hold local government polls in cantonments in the country for nearly two decades.
In March, the top court also directed provinces to hold local government elections — in Khyber Pakthunkhwa in May and in September in Punjab and Sindh.
