Polling at a number of stations in the DHA and Clifton areas of NA-250 saw a delayed start. PHOTO: AFP/FILE
KARACHI: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has issued a statement clarifying that polling staff for NA-250 Karachi 12 had been threatened and election material had been stolen by “criminal elements”.
Polling at a number of stations in the DHA and Clifton areas of NA-250 saw a delayed start and political parties also claimed that rigging was underway.
A release by the commission stated that polling could not take place at 43 stations as a result of threats to polling staff.
Determined voters were seen standing outside polling stations and waiting till closing time.
According to the commission, presiding officers and polling staff were directed to report to their stations with all election material one night before the elections.
“Upon appointment, they were threatened and the election material was stolen by criminal elements. Substitutes appointed by the DRO were also threatened and therefore refused to perform election duty.”
The commission stated that the chief election commissioner’s office was also fired on.
The date for re-polling in the 43 polling stations will be announced shortly and all necessary measures will be taken to ensure that such unfortunate events are not repeated.
COMMENTS (10)
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MQM will win the contest. INSHALLAH. vote for right
Still can't name names huh? We all know who had the most to lose in this constituency...
I have personally liked MQM to be voted before, but now I feel it wasnt my likeness but was a fear infact, a kind of suffocation. Being a Karachiite, I can easily tell you that atleast the results in NA 250 and 252 belongs to PTI. NA 250 was evident from the passion we saw yesterday whereas 252 is the constituency where I live and I know it very well. Zulfiqar Mirza, ignoring the fact that he himself seems to me a criminal, was infact right that citizens of Karachi needs to get out of the fear of MQM. Since many years we have been either forced or lured to vote MQM, now is the time to get out of that fear
Drama well played by RCP. It was all fix from the beggening.
So who threatened? Once again was it Naa maloom afraad
I say fire and arrest the staff that did not show up for duty unless they identify on oath people who threatened them. Delay in voting and depriving a person of vote is one of the highest violation of fundamental rights. PTI should move to Supreme Court
Imran Khan = clear winner in NA-250.
Why go through all this trouble when we already know the results?
Same was the case in Narowal and Lahore. ECP, why are you hiding the truth about Punjab?
atleast ask the officer about the criminal elements..
Only NA250? it was same in every constituency of Karachi! We are dumb and fools to think ecp is blind. They are "clever"