JI, JWP, SIC boycott polls in Karachi
ECP satisfied with polls’ arrangements, expects high turnout
Nisar Ahmed Thokar
Islamabad, May 11: Notwithstanding the terror threat Pakistani nation on Saturday turned out to cast their vote as large number of people including men, women and particularly the youth were seen queued up out side the polling stations all across the country.
The polling usually started at the scheduled time however there were complaints of delay in polling process as the polling staff could not reach on the polling stations on time. The official time for casting vote will end at 5:00 PM however on the request of political parties the ECP later decided to extend the polling time till 6 pm. In Punjab, the largest province of Pakistan, the polling continued peacefully barring some incidents of clashes between the supporters of rival candidates. However, there were reports of massive rigging in Karachi where rival parties leveled serious allegations of poll-rigging on each other.
Expressing deep concern over the prevailing situation in Karachi, Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan announced to withdraw its candidates from all constituencies of Karachi and two constituencies of Hyderabad. The JI claimed that owing to large-scale poll rigging the party has formally decided to boycott the polls. Addressing a press conference, the JI chief Syed Munawar Hussain said that his party would observe a peaceful strike on May 13 as a mark of protest against the rigging. He said that massive rigging was taking place in Karachi and Hyderabad.
Following the suit, Sunni Itehad Council, Muhajir Quomi Movement and Jamhori Wattan Party have also boycotted elections in Karachi saying that free, fair and transparent polls were not possible under the given circumstances. On the other hand Mutahida Quomi Movement leader Farooq Sattar alleged that the MQM mandate and elections were being hijacked.
Pakistan Peoples Party leader Taj Hyder and PTI leader Dr. Mumtaz Alvi also raised the issue of poll rigging in the Southern port city of Karachi and demanded the election commission of Pakistan to take notice of the issue. Dr. Alvi said that despite repeated requested troops were not deployed inside the polling stations. Regarding the delay in poll process, he said the ECP should extend polling time till 12 pm. Without citing the name of any party involved in the rigging, the PPP’s provincial secretary Taj Hyder demanded that the elections should be held afresh on all polling stations where rigging was reported.
Meanwhile, the Election Commission of Pakistan made a shocking statement wherein the commission has admitted the fact the ECP failed to conduct free and fair election in Karachi. The ECP statement came after some political parties decided to boycott the historic elections.
On the other hand the Secretary Election Commission shtiaq Ahmed Khan while expressing satisfaction with the polling arrangements and the massive public response said that the ECP has been able to conduct peaceful elections in the country. Talking to media men Khan claimed that that the polls have been by large peaceful in Punjab, Khyber Paktunkhwa, Balochistan, Sindh and Tribel areas. He however maintained that the ECP received some complaints of rigging from Karachi adding that the election commission was ready to address all complaints whatsoever.
Regarding the polling turn out he said that despite the messy situation in some parts of the country the people came out in huge numbers to cast their votes.
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