PML-Q and MQM win in Lahore and Karachi

Lahore/Karachi: The ruling Pakistan Muslim League (Quaid-e-Azam) has swept the elections of naib nazims (vice-administrators) in Lahore district.

According to unconfirmed results, Mian Idrees Hanif of the PML-Q has been elected the naib nazim of Lahore district by defeating the joint candidate of the Alliance for Restoration of Democracy (ARD).

The PML-Q has also swept all the nine seats for the naib town nazims in Lahore.

The newly elected naib nazim of Lahore district is Mian Idrees Hanif, who is the son of Punjab chief minister's advisor Hajji Hanif, while Muhammad Akbar Khan of PPP was his rival, who was declared joint opposition candidate of Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) and ARD.

Nasreen Jalil, a candidate belonging to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), was elected deputy mayor of Karachi amid an opposition boycott.

Jalil secured 176 votes in a house of 255 members. Around 70 opposition members walked out of the session protesting the alleged presence of several government officials.

Saeed Ghani was the candidate nominated by the Pakistan People's Party for the slot. The Jamaat-e-Islami, which has only a handful of seats, had already announced their decision to boycott these elections.

The MQM swept the local bodies elections in August amid allegations of rigging and irregularities. But the MQM and the government deny the charge and accuses the opposition of playing a negative role.

Ghani termed the elections illegal and said the opposition might challenge them in court.