PPP leads in Karachi LG polls

Unofficial results on Monday showed that the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) is emerging victorious in Karachi in by-elections held on 63 local body seats in five divisions of Sindh.

According to Radio Pakistan, the PPP emerged as the single largest party in LB by-election in the province. The ruling PPP won seven out of the 11 union committees (UC) in Karachi, while the Jamat-e-Islami (JI) won four UCs.

Moreover, the PPP was triumphant in four UCs in Hyderabad and bagged a majority in all districts of Sindh where the by-polls were held.

PPP Chairperson and Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari expressed his gratitude for the party's success in the elections, adding that "once again people reposed their faith in the PPP, from Karachi to Kashmore."

"It is a historic achievement that all district chairmen, including Karachi and Hyderabad, are from our party," he continued in a statement posted on the PPP's official Twitter handle.

The minister stated that the party's success was the result of the trust of the people, the sacrifices of the martyred leaders and the hard work of the brave. He furthered that the responsibilities on the shoulders of PPP workers had increased and it was their motto to serve people without discrimination.

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He asked the elected representatives to involve every street and neighbourhood in the development process, reminding them that in every street there is a house of supporters of the martyred Benazir Bhutto.

Bilawal urged the new PPP representatives to set new heights and new standards of values with their public service.

PPP leader Murtaza Wahab thanked the people of Karachi for "rejecting politics of hate, divide and protests", and instead "choosing Bilawal’s narrative of working together in a cohesive manner".

He vowed that the party will not let the people of Karachi down and will deliver "in true sense for every Karachiite".

PTI, JI accuse PPP of rigging

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the JI have accused the PPP of rigging in Sindh’s local bodies by-polls held yesterday.

PTI Karachi President Aftab Siddiqui has said that the party will raise the issue of rigging in the by-elections at every forum.

Addressing a press conference in Karachi, he claimed that the door of the polling station was broken in Korangi no 2. He further alleged that a minor child voter was registered in Nazimabad UC 6.

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Siddiqui furthered that in New Karachi, the PPP did not perform well but received a number of votes. He said that 400 ballot papers were seized from outside the polling station.

In a separate development, JI Karachi chief Engr Hafiz Naeemur Rehman also accused the ruling PPP of rigging and said that his party workers were abused throughout the day of the polls.

“They [JI workers] were tortured, efforts were made to expel the polling agent, yet our workers fought hard,” he added.

Polling

Polling for the local body (LB) by-elections in 24 districts of Sindh, including Karachi, was held on Sunday.

The polling process continued from 8 am to 5 pm without any break.

A total of 434 candidates are in the fray for elections on 63 seats of different categories. Polling was held on 11 UC chairman, vice chairman and 15 ward member seats of the Karachi Division.