In the industrial town of Hub, a recount of votes led to a violent confrontation between Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) supporters, resulting in two fatalities and 13 injuries.
The clash occurred outside the returning officer’s office, where BAP’s Balochistan president, Sardar Mohammad Saleh Bhootani, had initially declared victory in the PB-21 seat with 30,910 votes. This result was contested by PPP’s Ali Hassan Zehri, prompting an official recount by the election commission upon his complaint.
As the recount began, PPP supporters protested outside, disputing Bhootani’s win. Tensions escalated when Bhootani’s followers gathered at the Civic Centre, the location of the recount. The recounting process was interrupted when the returning officer was hospitalized for a health issue amid the recount of votes from 30 polling stations.
The confrontation intensified as both factions tried to force entry into the Civic Centre, leading to a two-hour exchange of gunfire. This clash resulted in two deaths and multiple injuries. Frontier Corps and police units responded, transporting casualties to Jam Ghulam Qadir Memorial Hospital, where it was reported that the injuries were primarily from bullet wounds. The deceased were identified as members of the Bhootani group.
SSP Hub Manzoor Ahmed Buledi noted that attempts by protesters to breach the Civic Centre precipitated the situation, necessitating a significant law enforcement presence to mitigate further violence. Despite police assertions of restored calm, tension lingered in Hub.
In response to these events, the election commission has initiated an inquiry through a four-member committee to examine the vote recount process.
