#Inkedup: Karachiites flock to vote for change

Voting remained peaceful across the city, with no reports of rigging

KARACHI: The sun dawned on a city anxious to change its destiny. They came out in droves - many even before polling time officially commenced. They waited in long queues - young, old, men, women. Many had brought their children along. It almost seemed like Eid all over again - neighbours greeting old friends meeting even older acquaintances. It almost seemed a different Karachi - peaceful, hopeful, even cheerful at the prospects of what was to come.

Contrary to tradition, people in Karachi voted peacefully for what observers believe to be a change in the selection of elected representatives. As news of the proceedings poured in throughout the day, what was conspicuously missing were reports of clashes, bogus voting or forced takeover of polling stations.

District East

Ahmed Riaz, 75, could barely make it to the polling booth. The narrow steps leading up to the dingy classroom in Royal Grammar School, Defence View, took a toll on his flailing health. But he refused to give, finally reaching the booth after several pauses. "Perhaps this is my last vote," the retired government officer told The Express Tribune. "My lungs have become troublesome. My sons suggested I don't go to vote, but I refused. I don't want to waste my vote because I believe each vote counts," he said.

The presiding officer at the polling station claimed all was well with the arrangements, except the stairway. A polling officer stationed at the same facility told The Express Tribune that the turnout had been so low, they were expecting it to finish at 40% by the end of the day.



Other polling stations in the district painted a different picture. People lined up in queues outside polling stations in Akhtar Colony, Kashmir Colony, Azam Basti and Manzoor Colony, complaining about the slow process. "I have been waiting here for the past hour, but don't know when I'll be able to cast my vote," said Bashir Khan, who was waiting in line outside the Akhtar Colony Girls School.

District South

A similar spirit was witnessed among voters in District South. From the onset, polling stations were thronged by citizens eager to cast their votes. In Lyari, where Pakistan Peoples Party chairperson Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, is contesting for the NA-246 seat, the largest crowds were witnessed at female polling booths. "At the moment, I can't comment on the turn out, but the number of female voters is higher," said Abdul Razzaque, a polling officer posted at Heaven Model Iqra Academy. Haji Hasan Baloch, who was accompanied by his daughters, said this was the first elections after a decade when they would partake in the polls.  "I have come out now because the gangs are no longer active here. We are free to make our own decisions," he explained.

District Malir

The city's largest district saw an impressive turnout throughout the day. In goths, the numbers soared early morning, before taking a dip at mid-day and then ending on a high again.

In Shah Ali Goth, a polling agent, Imdad, told The Express Tribune that almost a quarter of the registered voters had cast their votes by 11:30am. "The turnout is impressive and we're expecting more voters in the evening," he said.

Draped in her traditional Balochi dress, Maira - a polling agent for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf - said: "It could go in anyone's favour. What I am suprised about is the turnout of female voters in the constituency," she said.

Further from Shah Ali Goth, Chashma Goth in Ibrahim Hyderi lies in a flat dusty plain ringed by a chain of craggy mountains. Inside the Waghoor Dar School number 2, the voting process carried on at an impressive pace. "Out of 376 votes, 200 have been cast in my polling booth," said an MMA polling agent, who did not want to share his name.



One incident that marred the day's proceedings in the district was the unexplained closure of the polling station at Crescent Bay School II in Akbar Shah Goth, Korangi, for some time. When The Express Tribune reached the station half an hour before the closing time, hundreds of voters were waiting outside. Police and Rangers personnel manning the gates said the polling staff was having lunch. Later, the presiding officer explained that they were severely understaffed and could not manage a large number of voters at once.

District Central

Perhaps the biggest surprise was District Central, where pundits had speculated a lower turnout due to a boycott call from London. The district, the bastion of once mighty MQM, saw crowds of people making their way to polling stations since early morning.

The queues remained till the end of voting time as residents waited for up to two hours in some cases to cast their vote. There were no claims of wrongdoing or bogus voting from any polling agent.

District Korangi

Elections at several polling stations in Korangi were delayed due to the late arrival of the polling staff. In many areas of this district, political parties took it upon themselves to transport voters to their respective polling stations. Here too large crowds were witnessed outside polling stations as they waited to cast their vote.

District East

Following the general pattern, voting remained relatively peaceful across District East. One incident that blemished the process, however, was the shifting of the polling station set up at the FBR office in Gulshan-e-Iqbal. The change was announced at the eleventh hour, causing confusion among the voters and prompting various political parties to take up the matter with the Election Commission of Pakistan.