JI announces plan to challenge Karachi mayoral race result

Siraj refuses to accept 'theft of the public mandate in the city'

LAHORE:

Sirajul Haq, the chief of Jamat-e-Islami (JI), declared on Sunday his intention to take the results of the local government (LG) elections to court, following the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) emerging as the largest party in the Karachi mayoral race.

During a press conference, the JI leader expressed the party's refusal to accept the "theft of the public mandate in Karachi," and announced their decision to challenge the outcome of the LG elections in court.

Siraj also disclosed plans for a protest scheduled outside the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) office on June 23. He affirmed JI's unwavering support for the people of Karachi, vowing not to allow their trust to be compromised.

He assured that his party would reclaim the public mandate, which he believed had been stolen in the Karachi mayoral elections. Haq demanded that mayoral elections be held again after the reinstatement of the 30 elected UC chairmen from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

It is important to mention that Murtaza Wahab, the PPP candidate, was elected as Karachi's mayor with 173 votes through a show of hands.

According to unconfirmed and unofficial results, JI's candidate Hafiz Naeemur Rehman secured 160 votes. The voting for Karachi mayor and deputy mayor took place at the Pakistan Arts Council under tight security.

The mayoral contest was between Wahab and Rehman, as all other candidates had withdrawn their nomination papers. For the position of deputy mayor, Salman Abdullah and Saifuddin from PPP and JI respectively, competed against each other.

As per the entry register, 332 elected members arrived at the polling station, while 34 members of the KMC failed to reach the Arts Council of Pakistan.

The ECP has released the results of all the UCs in Karachi.

The details reveal that the PPP emerged as the largest party in the City Council with 104 chairman seats. They also secured 34 seats reserved for women, five seats each for minorities, labor, and youth, and one seat each for disabled and transgender individuals. The party has a total of 155 members.

Meanwhile, JI won 87 chairman seats in the local government (LG) elections, earning an additional 29 reserved seats for women, four seats each for youth, labor, and minorities, and one seat each for transgender and disabled individuals. JI has a total of 130 members in the City Council.

Additionally, PTI won 43 chairman seats, and after acquiring 14 reserved seats for women and two reserved seats each for youth, labor, and minorities, their total representation in the City Council comes to 63 members.

DNA