NA-250 polling begins at some stations after massive delays

Polling has just started at one station for NA-250.

ECP officials just left the premises after saying that the required material (ballot paper/boxes) have now been placed.

Police here claims polling started at 8am, but that there were no stamps and that people were being asked to just sign their names on ballot papers.

"This is rigging," said one PTI supporter. "People who have been voting till now signed instead of stamped ballot papers, meaning these votes are invalid."

Angry female voters confronted the officials, saying "Why have you showed up this late? Where you partying last night? Is this your 8am?"

A presiding officer at the polling station, who claims of being involved in conducting elections since Ziaul Haq’s era, said that he was overwhelmed by the turnout.

“I have never seen such a response in my life. This is a shock to me!” he said while talking to The Express Tribune.

“In the absence of stamps, it is allowed to sign ballot papers because they are valid,” he added.

EARLIER UPDATES FOR NA-250

The turn-out, at the hot seat of Karachi NA-250, was massive but sabotage has been reported at various polling stations.

NA-250 had a large number of contestants like Dr Arif Alvi from the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, Khushbakht Shujat from the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and so on.

Reports suggest that a party is methodologically creating hindrances for voters as disgruntled voters return to their homes.

People had come out to vote in their wheel chairs and were standing under the hot sun but ballot papers and boxes were nowhere to be seen.

Volunteers of political parties are distributing water among the voters who have been standing under the scorching sun since eight in the morning.

Many are promising to return after the polling stations start to function properly but disappointment has replaced the fervor in the NA-250 constituency.

Bath Island – Iqra School

Actor Hina Bayat told The Express Tribune correspondent Atika Rehman that there were no ballot boxes at the Girls’ Government College of Commerce and Economics. “In Bath Island Iqra School, they weren’t opening the doors till Rangers forced them to start polling,” she said.

She also said that such a situation can lead to violence as people are angry.

A voter wrote to The Express Tribune saying that, “problems were being created at Iqra polling station near IG house Bath Island for NA-250. I won’t mention party name.”

DA Model School

A voter Mishal Arif wrote an email to The Express Tribune reporting that ballot papers had not arrived at polling station DA Model School of NA-250m PS-113 constituency. “We arrived at the station exactly at 8am and left around 10:30am because there are still not ballot boxes there,” she wrote.

DHA Model School Phase-IV

The presiding officer at DHA Model School Phase-IV polling station of NA-250 told The Express Tribune correspondent Sarah Munir that there were no ballot papers and no voting screens at the station.

The officer, Ata Hussain, said that he was supposed to have 12 assisting officers but only two people have arrived.

He said that polling in the constituency cannot start even after the ballot papers arrive as there is no staff.

Voters, standing in long queues since hours, have become disgruntled and some are returning back home.

DHA Boys Degree College – Khayaban e Rahat 

Ballot boxes are still unavailable and reports are circulating that 35,000 ballot papers have gone missing, The Express Tribune employee shared around 12 noon.

“Some people seen leaving while others have been passing around water bottles and making sure the elderly and women get to go inside,” she further said.