Fears of violence kept voters, candidates and officials away from polling stations in the country, threatening the credibility of the ruling military`s plans to devolve power. There was a heavy police and paramilitary presence throughout the city with military personnel manning checkpoints in sensitive areas, mostly dominated by the powerful Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), which has called for a boycott of the local council polls.
Military ruler General Pervez Musharraf, who seized power in a bloodless coup in October 1999 and has promised to hold a general election by October 2002, sees the council elections as key to breaking up the power bases of main political parties.

Political parties are barred from direct participation in the local elections, which the parties have labelled a sham.

Some candidates said they had been threatened and warned not to take part in the process. Bureau Report