QUETTA: Preparations for the upcoming local government elections in the provincial capital, Quetta, are progressing rapidly.
Streets and neighborhoods have been decorated with banners and posters, while political parties are actively engaged in alliances and electoral strategies.
According to the Provincial Election Commission, local body elections will be held on December 28 across 641 wards within 172 union councils of Quetta.
Nomination papers of 2,870 candidates were approved, out of which 329 candidates later withdrew their nominations. As a result, a total of 2,541 candidates are contesting the elections.
Out of the 641 wards, 108 wards have only one candidate in the race, while no nomination papers were submitted in 18 wards.
At the district level, elections are being conducted in Zarghoon with 46 union councils and 161 wards, Chiltan with 46 union councils and 173 wards, Sariab with 38 union councils and 145 wards, and Takatu with 42 union councils and 142 wards.
It is worth mentioning that the polling will be held on the 28th December. The Balochistan government sought for the pontponing of the local government election on account to the intense weather and the law-and-order situation.
However, the Election Commission of Pakistan has stressed on the government to conduct the election and get the preparations done in this regard.
The Election Commission has also offered all its support and facilitation in order to carry out the elections.
The political Parties of Balochistan are geared up in wake of the upcoming local government election and the evnvironment for the election is very intense now depite extremely cold weather.
However, the experts say that a low turn out is expected during the local government election as the there is an intense weather going on across Quetta.
