PTI leaders allege widespread anomalies

KARACHI:

 Senior leaders of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf have alleged serious anomalies and rigging in the second phase of local bodies elections, especially in Karachi, where they claimed that the polling process was deliberately delayed and PPP workers officiated as presiding officers.

While speaking at a news conference at the end of polling on Sunday, PTI Sindh President Ali Zaidi, flanked by other party leaders including Bilal Ghaffar and Firdaus Shamim Naqvi told the media at the Insaf House that the polling process in Karachi was deliberately delayed as it started after 12 noon.

He claimed that they have received many complaints at the election monitoring cell of their party from Central District.

A gang of 70/80 people wearing facemasks to hide their identity roamed around the polling stations in Liaquatabad.

Police were asking people to show their ID cards or go home, he added.

Ali Zaidi said that the polling process was delayed due to the negligence of the Election Commission of Pakistan.

The lists of polling stations were changed late last night to manipulate the electoral process.

"Holding a free, fair and transparent election is a constitutional responsibility of the ECP," he added.

"The Election Commission was clueless about what happened at the polling stations in the morning." Ali Zaidi recalled that the PTI had boycotted the 2008 elections as his party stood with the independent judiciary.

"Not only PTI, but all the parties had announced a boycott, but Nawaz Sharif changed his decision," he further recalled.

The PTI leader admitted gerrymandering in Karachi, but claimed that the MQM boycotted the LB election because it does not have candidates to field.

"We are contesting against rigging because no party is a match for PTI," he added.

Firdaus Naqvi said that in Sindh Lawrence School, the women's polling booth opened very late.

There was no election material in UC 12 of New Karachi, till 11:45am.

"People of Karachi wake up late but I am sure now people of Karachi are with PTI," he added.