LAHORE, Pakistan: The Federal Information Minister Pervaiz Rasheed has said that results of cantonment board elections and the recent local government polls in Punjab and Sindh have established that elections 2013 were most transparent in the country’s history.
Talking to media representatives in Lahore, the minister advised the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to play its role in the parliament instead of road politics. He said that the PTI efforts should be focused on the elimination of terrorism in the country and the betterment of economic activity.
The ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) emerged victorious after it won 1,190 seats of chairmen, vice chairmen and wards of municipal committees in Punjab’s 12 districts as a result of the first phase of local bodies elections held October 31.
The independent candidates emerged as second with 1,065 seats followed by the PTI with 285 seats, according to the latest unofficial results.
The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) won only 47 seats followed by the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q’s) 44 seats. Jamaat-e-Islami and Pakistan Awami Tehrik won two seats each.
Most of the independents are expected to join the PML-N after the results are officially announced by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
The first phase of local bodies polls was also held in eight districts of Sindh where the PPP won 720 seats, independent candidates won 174 seats, Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F) 74, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) 12, PTI five, and PML-N and MQM got three seats each.
Pervaiz Rasheed said that the elected representatives of local governments will provide solution to the problems of people at their doorstep immediately.
The information minister said that the electoral process is improving with every election taking place in the country, adding that the society is also being democratized gradually.
Rasheed hoped the next two phases will also take place as per the schedule.
