Low turnout was witnessed during the first phase of local government elections in Karachi on Thursday. The overall law and order situation remained peaceful. Some incidents of violence were reported from parts of the city.
In some union councils candidates boycotted the polls due to alleged irregularities. The voters turnout was estimated between 20-25 percent.
In all 8,464 candidates were in the run for Nazim, Naib Nazim, Muslim men and women general councillor, men and women labour councilor and minority councilor slots in 178 union councils in 18 towns of the city.
The candidates backed by opposition parties alleged that massive rigging was committed to get the candidates backed by ruling parties elected.
Meanwhile, the government has claimed that free and fair elections were held with a turnout around 50 percent.
There were reports that voting in some polling stations across the city started late due to a number of reasons, whereas polling staff complained about substandard stamps. Last minute change of polling stations also caused problems for the voters in some parts of the city.
In the morning, most of the polling stations wear a deserted look, but by 1:00 pm gradual increase in the number of voters was witnessed. Despite pick and drop arrangements by nearly all the candidates, the overall turnout at the end of the polling remained below expectations.
In rural areas of the town, more hustle bustle was witnessed in the camps of contesting candidates. In urban portions of town, turnout in the morning hours was even lower than the rural ones.
Generally, the polling remained peaceful except a few incidents of minor clashes in Orangi Town, firing in North Nazimabad Town, arrest of a presiding officer in Saddar Town, UC 7, snatching of ballot papers in Korangi and disturbance at a polling station in New Karachi.
The arrested presiding officer identified as Ali Salman Ahmed has been detained at the Preedy Police Station.
No voter came to cast his/her vote at UC-11, Maryam Girls School, Gizri Polling Station No 10 till 10:30 am. People complained that the election symbol of a candidate Ms Yasmin Khalid was misprinted in the ballot paper.
At Polling Station No 3 of the same school, Tanweer Ahmed Awan said that there were no curtains to cast their vote secretly.
Low turnout was also witnessed at the Jinnah College polling stations No 7, 8, 16 of UC-1, Nazimabad Town till 10.30 am, as by that time out of 394, only 29 votes were cast at Booth No 1, while only one vote was cast at Booth No 2 and at Booth No 5 only eight votes were cast out of 318.
At Abdullah Government College for Women in UC-2, North Nazimabad, out of 963, only nine votes were cast at a booth till 11:00 am. Only three votes were cast at ladies booth 1 by 10.45 am. Out of 406, only nine votes were cast at Booth No 6.
The voters standing in queues complained of mismanagement on the part of the polling staff. Minority candidates complained that no voters' lists were available for verification.
In Jamshed Town, UC-4 voting at some polling stations located at Government Boys Secondary School Chanesar Goth remained suspended for 40 minutes, as no election symbol was printed in the ballot papers of four female candidates, Ms Sultana Magsi, Ms Sakina Magsi, Ms Shirin Gul and Ms Shahida Nighat.
In Lyari Town, election mood was depressed, while reports from Malir and Gadap towns showed that the turnout remained low in the morning and the same situation was reported from Liaquatabad, Baldia, Orangi, Keamari, Bin Qasim, Korangi and Landhi towns where people started arriving at the polling stations in the afternoon.
In the meantime, all commercial and business activities remained suspended. Shopping areas remained closed and public transport remained thin. Besides, police and rangers, which were deployed at the polling stations, Army troops patrolled the city roads to avoid any untoward incident.
Meanwhile, candidates of Al-Khidmat, Awam Dost and other opposition parties groups alleged that armed activists of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) took charge of the polling stations and booths in Gulshan, Jamshed and Malir towns.
They alleged that armed activists of MQM had taken over the polling stations in these towns and were involved in bogus voting, rigging and hooliganism.
They demanded of the Election Commission to declare LB polls in these towns null and void and issued new date for re-election under the supervision of army.
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