Pak elections: MQM rejects re-polling in Karachi

Karachi: Pakistan’s Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) party on Tuesday rejected the Election Commission’s decision to conduct re-polling at 43 polling stations in the city for a National Assembly seat.  The polling in NA-250 constituency in country’s financial hub Karachi was postponed on the election day due to reports of alleged rigging. In a televised press conference, MQM leader and senator, Mustafa Kamal, said his party would protest against the ECP’s decision soon after the announcement was made. “The ECP is to blame for the choas that took place on election day in NA-250 constituency at some polling stations. “They are trying to cover up their own failures by announcing re-polling for 43 polling stations which is not acceptable to us,” Kamal said. A tough fight was on the cards for the seat with the MQM fielding their only female candidate Khushbakht Shujaat, while Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) has Arif Alvi. At most of the polling stations, polling either started very late or didn’t start at all. The PTI alleged rigging at some stations, while the Jamaat-e-Islaami, which had fielded a candidate for the NA seat, announced a mid-day boycott of elections in Karachi on the election day against what they termed blatant rigging by the MQM. The ECP announced earlier today that polling at the said stations would be held on Sunday. Kamal said an investigation should be launched as to why polling could not be started at these polling stations and was delayed for hours. The MQM leader also questioned why ballot boxes could not reach these stations despite the fact that polling was supervised by the ECP with the Army’s help. PTI