Voter verification process is still dubious, claims opposition

Several parties held a joint rally on Sunday to condemn city’s violence.

KARACHI: The opposition parties have made one thing clear - they are strongly opposed to the ongoing voter verification process and the worsening law and order situation, and for this they blame the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party and its coalition partner, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM).

The turnout on Sunday’s rally may not have been impressive but the representation of political parties made its mark. Leaders and activists of Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), Sunni Tehreek, Awami Muslim League, National Peoples Party, Sindh United Party, Awami Tehreek, Pakistan Democratic Party, Pakistan Muslim League - Sher Bangal and religious parties, such as Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (Fazlur Rehman and Samiul Haq groups) and Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan, were unanimous in expressing their sentiments. It is, nevertheless, premature to claim that such an “alliance” would have an impact on the city’s political landscape.

The rally started from the Quaid’s mausoleum, where hundreds of participants gathered and marched towards Tibet Centre as their leaders shouted slogans against what they termed “gross violation of the apex court’s verdict in the voter verification process by holding the election commission hostage”.

JI Karachi chief Muhammad Hussain Mahenti said that all opposition parties reject the reformation of fake voter lists as the ‘MQM’ workers accompanied the army personnel along with the election commission staff.



Mahenti said that the election commission failed to implement the apex court’s verdict. “The opposition parties will continue their struggle to grant the people of Karachi their right to vote according to their will,” he continued. “We do not allow anyone to capture polling stations.” He added that a new leadership will soon be provided to the people of Karachi.

PML-N’s Saleem Zia advised the chief election commissioner, Fakhruddin G Ebrahim, to take this opportunity of having his name written down in history. “If you act like a man, you will find us standing by your side,” said Zia. He felt that there was a planned conspiracy to pre-rig the polls.

PTI provincial general secretary Syed Hafeezuddin said that all opposition parties are united and protesting against the “established case of fake mandates” of one political party in Karachi. “If we failed to grant the right to vote to the city’s residents, their participation in the elections would lead to bloodshed.” He hoped that all opposition parties will remain united and not turn their backs for a few seats.

As he listened to the fiery speeches, a policeman deployed at Tibet Centre’s pedestrian bridge that was serving as the stage, nodded his head in the negative. “In the present situation, I don’t even see the elections happening in Karachi,” said Adeel Khan. “If the government would still go for elections, there will be a bloodbath in this city.”

The sub-inspector believes that the police could only control the law and order situation if they are free from all political interferences.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 11^th, 2013.