Women wait outside DHA Model School in Phase 4 to exercise their right to vote, but the polling station was not opened at its stipulated time. PHOTO: MOHAMMAD NOMAN/EXPRESS
An unprecedented turnout was observed at the polling stations in Karachi’s NA-250 on Saturday. The constituency, which covers parts of Saddar and upscale neighbourhoods of Clifton and Defence Housing Authority, was a hot seat for Muttahida Qaumi Movement, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf, Jamaat-e-Islami and Pakistan People’s Party.
People turned up in hundreds, some even queuing up at 7am - an hour before the gates opened.
“I am 50 years old and I have never cast a vote. But I wouldn’t have missed this opportunity for anything,” said M Azam, who was among hundreds lined up near Zamzama Park. “We are all tired. We all want change.”
From DHA Phase-II to Clifton Block 9, there were complaints about absent polling staff and missing ballot boxes. But nothing was enough to discourage thousands of enthusiasts.
“I am voting for the third time at voting and I have never seen this kind of turnout,” said Shahab, who waited six hours for polling to start at the Govt College of Commerce.
Midway during the balloting, the Jamaat-e-Islami announced boycotting the elections, something which did not sit well with its supporters. “You want me to go home without casting my vote after I have waited in the line for five hours? If not Jamaat, then I’ll vote for PTI,” said a man at Bay View Junior School.
As delays prolonged, some people returned but many remained undeterred. “We have been here since 8am and voting started four hours later,” said Usman, one of hundreds who were standing at the Zaheen Academy at Gizri.
People expressed their displeasure with the Election Commission of Pakistan for mismanagement of the registered votes.
“There are 35 votes in my family. We have been residing in Karachi for years and have voted in the last elections,” said Qabil Shah, a resident of Railway Colony. “I had personally filed the ECP registration forms, yet our votes have been registered at our ancestral village in Haripur, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 12th, 2013.
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Now I understand why Qadri was shouting..you can abuse him but he was 100 percent correct...people saying that these elections are milestone but let me tell you..what ever hope of faith got generated that people of Pakistan can change Karachi and Pakistan from vote is gone now..never heard of this kind of massive and planned rigging all over Pakistan and specifically Karachi..
MQM has won this seat. RIP democracy. RIP transparency.