Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) on Saturday emerged victorious in the by-elections on two seats of the provincial assembly in Karachi.
According to unofficial results received late Saturday night, MQM candidates clinched both the seats with an overwhelming lead over their rival candidates. Dr Sagheer Ahmed of MQM secured 37,231 votes against Pir Abdul Rashid of Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy (ARD), who got 2,294 in the by-election of PS-117. Independent candidate, Habibur Rashid, secured only 152 votes.
In PS-120, MQM's candidate Nishat Mohammad Zia Qadri won the provincial assembly seat by bagging 56,348 votes against its candidates Ahmed Wasim Alvi of ARD, who got 1,304 votes.
Earlier, polling for the by-election for two Sindh Assembly seats PS-117 and PS-120 in Karachi was held in peaceful way.
The Election Commission made elaborate arrangements for the by-elections for two provincial seats. A thin turnout marked initial hours of the polling, which, however, in the latter hours gained momentum when activists of contesting parties were seen brining voters in pick-ups.
Provincial assembly seat PS-117 had fallen vacant following the election of Syed Mustafa Kamal of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) to Karachi city nazim and PS-122 had fallen vacant after the death of Ali Bin Hamid Zaidi of MQM.
In PS-117, contestants were Dr Sagheer Ahmed of MQM with election symbol kite and Pir Abdul Rashid advocate of Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy (ARD) with election symbol of arrow, beside independent candidate Habibur Rashid with election symbol car.
In PS-120, Nishat Mohammad Zia Qadri of MQM (kite), Ahmed Wasim Alvi of ARD (arrow) and independent candidate Mohammad Rashid (car) were the contestants.
Acting chief election commissioner former Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar accompanied by high officials of Election Commission visited different polling stations in two constituencies and inspected arrangements for the polls.
During a visit of a polling station near Parsi Library, M.A. Jinnah Road, in PS-117, he took notice of complaints of casting of bogus votes and ordered strict action against the polling staff at the polling station.
He also directed action on complaints of casting of votes without CNIC in PIB Colony.
During a visit of a polling station at Shahrae Faisal in PS-120, the Chief Election Commissioner took notice of complaints of irregularities during the polling and ordered strict action in this regard.
Meanwhile, Pakistan People's Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) alleged massive rigging in by-polls for two provincial seats in Karachi and one national assembly seat in interior of Sindh.
Addressing a press conference at People's secretariat on Saturday evening, PPPP leaders said bogus votes were cast during by-polls while their polling agents were made hostage, minister and advisers were given a freehand to move in polling stations.
They described by-polls a fraud and demanded polls should be helped under an independent election commission as the present one lost its credibility.
Taj Haider, Rashid Rabbani and other leaders of the party spoke during the press conference.
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