KARACHI: Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Karachi chapter on Thursday vented out its anger over the alleged attempts of election rigging in the presence of law enforcers, slamming the rival MQM for “occupation” of the polling stations to turn results in its favour in the megacity.

“Media cannot show the irregularities in the election,” Hafiz Naeemur Rehman, the JI Karachi Chief told a news conference at Idara Noor-e-Haq, saying that the Election Commission of Pakistan failed to regulate free and fair polls.

Polling stations in some localities of the megacity such as Baldia Town, Dastagir, North Karachi, Shah Faisal Colony, etc., were under the MQM occupation, he claimed, where the armed activists of MQM were attempting to cast fake votes in the evening hours.

He also alleged the law enforcers including Rangers and police of turning blind eye to the rigging attempts, saying that the ECP has also failed to ensure a smooth polling process. The rigging attempts were also made in the women polling stations, he said. He also accused the PPP of casting fake votes in some areas.

He said that the ECP could have also used its powers under the article 290 of the Constitution to ask the Federal Interior Minister for reopening the cellular services, which remained closed throughout the polling day.

“Everyone knows that the MQM polling camps remained empty all day long as people have rejected them,” he said. Media is unable to express the reality, he said and added that “forced results will not be accepted”.

About Rs48 billion has been spent on the election 2024, he said that there was no need to hold the polls if results of a choice were intended. It is everyone’s constitutional and democratic responsibility to point out the irregularities in polls, he said and made it clear that “We do not want to seek any help to get elected but a fair polls process”. He said that the JI’s wining trend should not be stopped, forcefully.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024