Post-poll protest: PTI supporters take to the streets

Voters gather in Karachi and Lahore to protest rigging in elections; unknown assailants fire on crowd in Karachi.

KARACHI: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) supporters came out on streets of Karachi and Lahore to protest alleged rigging during the general elections, Express News reported on Sunday.

Karachi protest

May 11 saw delays in polling at various stations at NA-250, the largest constituency of Karachi. Voters waited for hours under the scorching sun as polling, reportedly, continued at a snail’s pace.

The PTI supporters in Karachi held a protest at Teen Talwar in Clifton on the very next day of general elections.

Female supporters comprised a large percentage of the protesters.

The group continued to chant slogans in favour of the PTI chairman Imran Khan and the PTI candidate contesting from NA-250, Arif Alvi.

Later on Sunday evening, unknown assailants reportedly fired on the crowd, injuring at least two people.

Lahore protest

A fight broke out between PTI and PML-N supporters when the former gathered at Lalak chowk in Lahore to protest alleged rigging by the latter at NA-125.

The protesters alleged that PML-N candidate Saad Rafiq won the seat through rigging.

Police arrived at the area, baton charged the protesters and opened the blocked streets.

MQM's response

“I don’t want a fight but if I order my supporters then they will make a better use of the three swords [teen talwar],” Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief Altaf Hussain warned the PTI protesters.

He was addressing MQM party workers and supporters in a telephonic address.

“I request you to go ahead with a peaceful protest against rigging allegations,” Hussain advised his followers. “But I will rally my supporters if the protest against us continues.”