Right-wing political parties on Saturday rejected the election process and began their post-poll agitations against what they called "election rigging" and called for re-polling in the city. The JI Chief announced strike in two cities, ie Karachi and Hyderabad on Monday and dharna held at the office of Provincial Election Commissioner. Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan (JUP) supported the strike call and hinted at its protest drive to start next week.
The country went for polls in all its provinces on Saturday to elect a new government for next five years. But a number of political parties as the day passed began turning up to show distrust in election process and held Chief Election Commissioner, Fakhruddin G Ibrahim responsible for poll "rigging".
Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan (JUP), Pakistan Sunni Tehreek (PST), Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) and Muhajir Qaumi Movement - Haqqiqi (MQM-H) latter also called the election process "null and void" and called for re-polling. However, Majlis-e-Wahdatul Muslimeen (MWM) expressed its distrust in polls results and pointed out at a number of flaws in election process. It made clear that it is not walking out of the election.
Showing reservations, Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) also complained of irregularities in polls and "election rigging" in NA 248. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid-e-Azam (PML-Q) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) also expressed their concerns over the "poll riggings" and delays in polls start.
Awami National Party (ANP) condemned blasts close to its election office in Landhi which killed at least 10 people, besides injuring dozens of others. It said the police, and rangers did not provide security shield to its voters. Nearly all political parties in the city complained about the delays in start of polling in a majority of constituencies. They said the polling even could not start till 12 pm whereas election timing was 8 am.
All political parties complained of "mass" poll riggings in the city, besides alleging one another of kidnapping and torturing of their candidates and political workers. They also blamed each for use of force against voters and polling staff. Voters also complained of not having access into the polling stations.
A significant turnout was observed as public came out to polling stations since morning before the scheduled time. Long queues of young and aged voters were seen. The day has been hectic and eventful but left a huge number of voters disappointed as polling process was not up to the standard, many voters complained.
"We have been standing in queue for the last three hours but polling has not started till midday as there is no ballot papers, ballot boxes and other necessary stuff to enable voting," said voters outside a polling station in NA 250. Army in some areas was seen patrolling but voters and political parties continued their complaints of the personnel were missing to ensure peace and smooth polling in many areas.
Election commission of Pakistan at the end of the day admitted its failure to hold transparent polls in Karachi. In a large number of polling stations, polling could not take place on time, political parties said. Latter in the evening JI staged a sit-in in front of Election Commission office to protest against the "rigging" of polls. The rangers and police gunfire left a number of protestors injured, JI said.
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