Landhi erupts in fierce battle of words on election day

Clashes reported between members of the MQM and the Haqiqi faction

KARACHI: Landhi turned into a battlefield on the election day. Amid huge posters of Muhajir Qaumi Movement - Haqiqi (MQM-H) chief Afaq Ahmed to the kite banners of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement in the locality, the activists of the two parties often clashed with one another, grabbing the attention of the police, the Rangers and the media.

The day also witnessed leaders of the two parties hurling allegations at one another, engaging in a war of words. MQM MNA Dr Farooq Sattar claimed that 'Haqiqi terrorists' had taken over 25 polling stations of Landhi, and cast bogus votes, pushing the people out from the booths.

"The Haqiqi terrorists tried to attack our sector office, took over the polling stations and injured 70 of our workers," said Sattar, addressing a press conference at their Landhi sector office. A man with a bandaged head sat behind him after he was reportedly attacked by the MQM-H men.

He said that for five hours, their rival party took over the polling station, beat up their male and female polling agents, injuring them with sticks and iron rods.

One polling agent also lost his eye. "The people were unable to vote and MQM-H was involved in rigging," said Sattar, demanding the authorities take notice of their complaints.

Earlier, the office was raided by Rangers and a clash took place between the Haqiqi men and those of the MQM.

Meanwhile at party headquarters Baitul Hamza, MQM-H vice-chairperson Muhammad Irfan claimed that whenever the MQM is losing, it comes out with allegations of rigging. "It was the MQM who took over polling stations and injured our voters and polling agents," he said. He alleged that the MQM wins votes through the force of the gun, and those voters who supported their party had been intimidated by the MQM.

'No role of ECP'

Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Karachi amir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman, in a joint press conference with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders Imran Ismail and Ali Zaidi, said that there was no role of the Election Commission of Pakistan on the day of the LG elections in the city.

He also pointed out that the PTI and JI have submitted 47 applications to election commission for fake votes and rigging complaints. "MQM has lost the mandate they were claiming of," he said, adding that the party is trying to worsen the law and order situation by creating an issue on two constituencies, Landhi and Lyari.

They have also taken over the polling stations in some areas, including Liaquatabad, North Nazimabad and Korangi areas, he said. "Unlike them, we [JI] do not have guns to violate rules," he added.

Talking about the deployment of Rangers and police inside the polling stations, he said that this concern was ignored and many cases have been reported where men and women were caught red-handed.

Meanwhile, PTI leader Zaidi was critical of the provincial election commissioner Tanvir Zaki. "Our people have been threatened inside the polling stations but nobody was there to listen to them," said Zaidi. He also said that they are talking to lawyers and planning to file an FIR against Zaki. "The election commission [has] turned into [a] selection commission," he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 6^th, 2015.