The situation remains extremely tense across the city.. PHOTO: Rizwan Shehzad
Across the city, in NA-241 and PS-94, activists of the PML-N and ASWJ have closed polling for voters and are openly rigging the ballots in Fareeq Colony of Orangi Town.
The situation remains tense across the city, with the ECP giving till 8pm for voting in numerous constituencies.
The Army says they cannot help staff as it is not in their mandate to even touch a ballot paper. Many polling stations remain severely understaffed.
COMMENTS (23)
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Having served as one of the polling staff and being target of violence myself, I HIGHLY recommend re-election in Karachi under strict supervision of Army. I suggest that an Army personnel be present around each polling booth with shoot-to-kill orders for miscreants. Elections in whole Pakistan are rigged and not credible at all.
i wish terror free pakistan and india
@DO: loo jee even PTI now has "na malooom afraad"
In presence of MQM fair elections are impossible in karachi
@Do so how can u say that all the rigging was carried out by MQM.
whats the point of having 75000 troops of the army when they cant protect the voters? ecp's role has been very very disappointing.
You have the habit of blaming MQM for everything. People who are reading this news are being fed with a negative perception. It says ALLEGED Mqm invovled in firing incident... Its just sad that the media stands with the elite class! (elite class= PTI vote bank in DHA)
I voted @NA 250 DHA model school on khyaban Mujahid. There was no rigging, incidence of violence, firing etc. Only that mismanagement caused incredible delay and I stood in line from 12 noon to 7pm. I can testify that no party created any problems in my Polling Station. Stop negative campaigning against MQM.
I was forced to vote for MQM , after day long strugle i was able to cast my vote in late evening but MQM worker was stand beside me and ask me to stamp KIte , there was no Police or rangers present thier to stop them doing so.
we need to think that how we can free our karachi from all of these forces i am not talking for any single party
ECP is badly fail to conduct free & fair Election in karachi .
@Rafay Bin Ali: How can u sat they were PTI guys. They could be from any party posing as PTI. From what I saw in Dist Central, (NA-245) PTI voters were there already and freely talking about voting for change.
Oh my God.
Like it or not Mqm has won elections here, it even happened in 1992 when worst operation was launched on Karachities
@Rafay Bin Ali: Did you do what you were asked to do, SIR?
@Arzoo: All constituencies throughout Pakistan and the social media, tabdeeli razakaars are threatening and terrorizing people.
I am a voter in NA-253 consitutency. As I approached the polling station and parked my car, immediately a person in his late 20's approached me and said this "sir, good to see that you have come to vote. I would sincerely urge you to vote for PTI as we are VERY STRONG in this area NOW."
His manner was demeaning which I gauged by the change in his tone and pitch while saying the words VERY STRONG (these were said in English). Needless to say, in this volatile political environment, I thought it best for my safety to just say OK and move on.
Once inside the school, in the compound outside of the actual polling booths, once again I was approached by seemingly educated persons in their late 20's to early 30's. One of them had a slight beard. They just remarked without addressing anybody in particular that "VOTE FOR BAT". Even though the statement itself was not wrong, yet, I was blocked from moving in. Both were physically built a little as well and around 6 feet tall.
So, I asked them WHY. The sense of personal security was evident in my tone of voice. I was internally afraid to argue with them because their tone and pitch were all very "DANGEROUS". But i did manage to force myself to ask WHY?
The answer was "DO IT" with a slight shove as if to instruct me to move on and vote as they had asked me to. I moved on, casted my vote and came home. All the time I was looking in the rear view mirror if i was being followed by those 3. These PTI supporters made the PTI lose all its credibility in my eyes. NOT TO MENTION THE FEAR THAT LURKS IN MY HEART AND MIND because of their PSYCHO WARFARE at the polling booth.
@Yasir Khan: "As always…. Namaloom afraad will win again and rule this city, well done." Yes, but not for too long. When political parties rig elections it shows that they are not confident of winning on their record of performance and, sooner or later, they either change for the better or they are phased out. Important thing is for us to continue to vote and continue to work for change. It will come.
@Witness 250: "What I saw was otherwise. PTI hired militants under the garb of Tabdeeli Razakar and seen manipulating the voter lists." Would have been nice if you had mentioned in which constituency and in which polling station since there are no other credible reports coming in accusing PTI people for such behavior.
Rangers started arriving after 12 noon, and there are countless witnesses to what these thugs were doing before and even after. ECP has failed Karachi.
Where are the security forces? Are the rangers just there getting billions of rupees every year to fatten themselves? They have the same powers as the police, they should take strict action against the miscreants. As for the "eye witness" who do they support? I just had an epiphany, they are supporters of PTI
What I saw was otherwise. PTI hired militants under the garb of Tabdeeli Razakar and seen manipulating the voter lists.
activists of the PML-N and ASWJ have closed polling for voters and are openly rigging the ballots in Fareeq Colony of Orangi Town.
What else you expect from these two natural allies.
As always.... Namaloom afraad will win again and rule this city, well done.
Cancel the election khi and hyd and do it tomorrow again