Karachi: Millions of voters on Saturday queued up in Sindh and Punjab provinces to cast their ballots in the first phase of polls to elect their municipal representatives after a decade- long interval.
Polling remained largely uninterrupted and smooth in Punjab but violent incidents were reported in parts of Sindh.
The elections in the two provinces are being held after the Supreme Court of Pakistan ordered the provincial and federal governments to hold them for the municipalities.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif cast his vote in Lahore, his hometown and the constituency from where he contests elections.
In Sindh, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the chairman of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) cast his vote in Larkana, his ancestral hometown. Qaim Ali Shah, the provincial chief minister also cast his vote in his hometown, Khairpur.
For the first phase, 12 districts of Punjab and eight districts of Sindh were holding elections in which over 25 million people were registered to vote.
Offices and schools were closed in the districts where polling was held from 7.30am to 7.30pm.
At least two people were wounded in Jacobabad district when groups clashed at a polling station. Clashed were reported from Ghotki district too.
In Punjab, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) faced off with candidates from Pakistan Tehreek-e- Insaf (PTI) of Imran Khan
Analysts believe Sharif’s party is like to win more seats compared to Khan’s, especially after the announcement of his divorce to Reham Khan, a television anchor, whom he married hardly 10 months ago.
In Sindh, PPP has a better chance.
