MQM candidates challenge results

Complaints pile up on manipulations


Our Correspondent July 28, 2018
MQM-P candidate Ali Raza Abidi challenged the election results for NA-243. PHOTO: FILE

KARACHI: Allegations of rigging in election results continued on Friday, two days after the elections, as candidates of various parties challenged the results.

Muttahida Quami Movement - Pakistan (MQM-P) candidate Ali Raza Abidi challenged the election results for NA-243. The MQM-P leader has written a letter to the chief election commissioner alleging that the results of his constituency were manipulated. "I have not received a complete Form 45 as yet," he said, lamenting that MQM-P polling agents were kicked out of the polling stations during the counting process.

MQM-P, PSP reject Karachi results

"We filed several complaints with the returning officer but no action was taken," the letter reads, demanding that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) suspend the official result announcement till an inquiry is completed. Abidi rejected the vote count and said that his party would not accept the manipulated results. He also demanded that an election tribunal be formed within two days after an application challenging the results has been filed.

Similarly, MQM-P candidate for NA-239, Khawaja Sohail Mansoor, has also challenged the election results. Mansoor filed an application with the RO for a recount of the votes. The application demands that ECP recount the votes in front of the candidate's election agent. Mansoor lost with a narrow margin of 363 votes against a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf candidate.

A joint candidate of Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Ali Hussain Naqvi, has challenged the results of PS-89. He filed an application challenging the result before the RO of District Malir, Zakaullah Abro.

Possible alliance between MQM-P, PTI on the cards

Naqvi was accompanied by several PTI and MWM leaders at Malir district and the sessions court. While speaking to the media outside, he said some elements wanted to taint the results of PS-89. He added that their polling agents had not received Form 45 of all the 119 polling stations and further commented that announcing the results without providing Form 45 was malpractice.

Naqvi stated that they will not allow the right of PS-89's voters to be violated. He added that their mandate was being stolen and they will go to every legal forum to ensure justice. He declared that Pakistan Peoples Party was to blame as it had rigged the election via bogus voting.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 28th, 2018.

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