A fax machine that buzzed all day

Several people complained that the administration was using delaying tactics in the name of added security


Our Correspondent April 23, 2015
Several people complained that the administration was using delaying tactics in the name of added security. DESIGN: FAIZAN DAWOOD

KARACHI:


The fax machine at the NA-246 returning officer's office did not stop buzzing the entire day as complaint after complaint poured in.


The staff spent nearly the entire say sorting out the papers and addressing the concerns being raised. As the day began, the office received the complaints that male and female staff were not present at some polling stations. At polling booth number 210, the ballot boxes were broken and, at polling station number 103, two ballot boxes were out of order.

Several people complained that the administration was using delaying tactics in the name of added security, making the voters irritated at the entire process. Most of these complaints were made by the Muttahida Qaumi Movement. However, the returning officer, Syed Nadeem Hyder, insisted that most of the complaints were fake. Normally, we receive complaints about shortage of drinking water, load-shedding and broken chairs. "We solve such problems immediately," he said, adding that they had not received any complaints of shortage of polling staff.

Later, provincial election commissioner Tanweer Zaki and commissioner Shoaib Siddiqui visited parts of the constituency. Siddiqui said the democratic behaviour of the political parties made the elections successful.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 24th, 2015.

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