Cantonment board elections begin

Islamabad — Local government elections in cantonments began on Saturday after a gap of 17 years under orders by the Supreme Court.

More than 1.8 million registered voters were expected to elect their representatives in the cantonment board elections. Of the 43 cantonments in 29 districts across the country, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has announced the election schedule for all, except for Ormara cantonment where a land ownership dispute is pending.

Some 12,400 personnel of the paramilitary force Rangers and Army have been deployed at the polling stations for security. Voters are not allowed to carry cellphones inside polling stations.

A total of 1,151 candidates are contesting the elections. Of them, 610 are independents while 541 hold tickets of different political parties. Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf leads with 137 candidates in the contest, followed by PML-N with 128 and PPP 89 contestants. Besides these parties, Jamaat-e-Islami has awarded tickets to 74, Allama Tahir-ul-Qadri’s Pakistan Awami Tehreek to 27 and MQM to 27 candidates.

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