LARKANA: The general elections for two national and four provincial assembly seats of Larkana district were held peacefully except an incident of cracker blast, which occurred near PPP’s camp near a polling station established in Shah Muhammad Government Primary School in Surraya Padhar area of Larkana, injuring four activists of different political parties.
Reportedly, the injured workers were rushed to Chandka Medical College Hospital (CMCH). Consequently, security personnel rushed to the spot, along with policemen and bomb disposal squad where an unrest and panic was observed among residents of the area.
They cordoned off the area, collected evidence and started investigation into the incident.
Later, the district returning officer (DRO) Abdul Naeem Memon, Commissioner Naveed Ahmed Shaikh, the deputy inspector general of police (DIG) Javed Akbar Riaz, the deputy commissioner Murtaza Ali Shah and the senior superintendent of police (SSP) Shabir Sethar also visited the area.
Meanwhile, the DIG Riaz asserted that the polling station was established in a thickly populated area, and after examining allowed the polling process to be resumed.
Furthermore, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) candidate for NA-200 Rashid Mahmood Soomro strongly condemned the blast.
They also went to the hospital to inquire about the health of the victims.
In his talk to the media outside hospital, Bilawal said that such incidents aim to spread fear and panic among the general public to restrict them from participating in the electoral process.
He also strongly condemned a bomb blast near a polling station in Quetta, killing at least 31 people including two policemen.
He criticised the caretaker government for being unable to provide effective security measures to voters and political workers.
He further lauded PPP workers for their efforts while performing duties during the voting process.
Bilawal demanded an immediate arrest of all suspects involved in the attack, and urged local PPP leaders in Larkana to ensure provision of medical treatment to the injured workers.
Meanwhile, in Banguldero, the polls were delayed in all three polling stations for more than one hour due to unavailability of vote stamps. Bilawal, Faryal Talpur and Sanam Bhutto casted their vote in a polling station established in Shaheed Major Mujahid Mirani Government Primary School in Naundero.
Rashid Mahmood Soomro casted his vote in Channa Muhalla polling station in Larkana.
Published in Daily Times, July 26th 2018.