Leaving no room for rigging, citizens volunteer as polling agents

People say they are not going to support any party, only fair elections.

KARACHI:

The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s NA-250 offices on the second and third floor of a Khadda Market building were buzzing with activity on Saturday as concerned and enthusiastic citizens had gathered at the unfurnished office all week to prepare for the action on May 19.

From vote counting and stamping scrutiny to the provision of water bottles and sandwiches, each citizen has been tasked with a responsibility to ensure that the electoral process on Sunday is completed smoothly.

“We are not going to represent our party on May 19,” says Sadia Agha, a PTI worker who will be acting as a polling agent on Sunday. “We are going to make sure that every voter can exercise his right to cast a vote for any party in a fair manner.”

Around 100 people with no official party affiliations will be stationed at the 43 polling stations of NA-250 to act, as one of them described, as “an extra pair of eyes” to guarantee that rigging, aggression and delays are kept in check.

Photocopied pages of tally charts along with sheets that contain details of what to do in a situation where an irregularity occurs were being passed around. “Our job as polling agents begins tomorrow at 6:45am and ends around midnight when all the votes are counted and the tally sheet is signed by the presiding officer,” said a man who lives near the Phase V office. While some huddled in groups and poured over files and papers, others discussed what would be done in a situation where there was “dhandli”. “Raise your voice and get help if there is any wrongdoing taking place at your polling station,” one lady told other assistant polling agents. “Whatever happens, do not leave the room. If things get bad, sit on the ballot box if you have to prevent bogus votes, but make sure you get help from officials.”

Volunteering out of sheer frustration

Volunteer Dr Nighat Khan, who was a polling agent on May 11 at the ABSA School, described how workers from one political party entered the premises on the false pretext of being from the media. “They entered the polling station for women and said that they will videotape the women as they cast their votes,” she said, adding that some women felt threatened. “When I asked for their press cards, they changed their story.” Khan says that the reason she is volunteering is because she is fed up. “We are sick of sitting comfortably in our air-conditioned environments. We are sick of going to kitty parties. If we don’t act now, this will not become a place where our children can feel safe.”

She added that she wants the city to be a safe place for her daughter, who works in schools in Sultanabad and Katti Pahari. “I don’t want her to become another Perween Rehman,” she said.

Armed with the mission to spread awareness about the electoral process and document any wrongdoing that may take place, Khan said, “Hum DHA ke burgers bhaag nahin jayenge - we are taxpayers of this city who are exercising our right!”

Published in The Express Tribune, May 19^th, 2013.