Saad wants polling time extended as flooded streets after rain hamper voters

LAHORE: With inundated streets after intermittent rain in Lahore hampering voters, PML-N leader Khawaja Saad Rafique has demanded an hour extension in polling time for local government elections underway in the provincial capital’s cantonment boards.

Intermittent rain has left the streets of the Lahore and Walton cantonments water-logged with two to three feet water accumulated in some areas, he tweeted, sharing a video of a flooded street.

لاھور کنٹونمنٹ اور والٹن کنٹونمنٹ کی گلیاں پانی سے بھری پڑی ھیں

بعض مقامات پر دو سے تین فٹ پانی کھڑا ھے

ووٹر کو گھر سے پولنگ سٹیشن تک جانے میں سخت دقت کا سامنا ھے

الیکن کمسن سے استدعا ھے کہ پولنگ کا وقت ایک گھنٹہ بڑھایا جاۓ

شوکت ٹاؤن کی گلیوں کا منظر pic.twitter.com/nphbIQzIYt

— Khawaja Saad Rafique (@KhSaad_Rafique) September 12, 2021

Voters are facing hardships in reaching polling stations to cast their ballot, Saad said, requesting the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to extending the polling time by an hour.

ALSO READ: VOTING FOR CANTONMENT BOARD ELECTIONS UNDERWAY

The voting process started at 8am and will continue till 5pm without any break.

A total of 1,513 candidates are in the run for 206 general seats in as many wards of the cantonment boards. Though all major political parties have fielded their candidates, but a close contest is expected among the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).