MQM demands re-polling in NA-250 and its two provincial assembly constituencies
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Posted on: 5/11/2013
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Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s Deputy Convener Dr Mohammad Farooq Sattar on Saturday demanded re-polling in the city’s one National Assembly (NA-250) and two provincial assembly’s constituencies (PS-112 and PS-113).
Speaking at an impromptu press conference at MQM’s Khursheed Begum Secretariat, Azizabad, Dr Sattar, who was also a candidate for NA-249, said the Election Commission of Pakistan could protect the democratic rights of the constituents only by conducting re-polling on NA-250. MQM Coordination Committee’s Deputy Convener Ms Nasreen Jalil and members Raza Haroon and Wasay Jalil and Haq Parast candidate for NA-248 were present on the occasion.
Citing reasons for MQM’s demand of re-polling in the NA-250 constituency, the MQM leader said that polling on a number of polling stations of the constituency had not begun by 3pm, ballot boxes, polling staff and election material were not available while there was no modus operandi for providing additional ballot boxes and, as such there was no logic behind increasing the timings of the polling.
He said that not only MQM but even other parties had their reservations over the situation that prevailed in the NA-250 and, hence with a view to ensuring transparency and fairness in the polls the Chief Election Commissioner Fakhruddin G Ibrahim is urged to order re-polling in the NA-250 and its two provincial assembly constituencies.
Talking about NA-248 (Lyari), Dr Sattar said that it was ironic that that no attention was paid to the reservations and fears expressed by MQM candidate Nabil Gabol about his constituency’s precarious law and order and as result of which all the polling stations of Lyari remained occupied by the terrorists and the voters were deprived of their right of franchise.
He said that since the mandate was hijacked in the constituency, Haq Parast candidate from the constituency had no choice but to announce boycott of the elections from NA-248 and its two provincial assembly’s two constituencies (PS-108 and PS-109) and also demanded re-polling in such constituencies.
The MQM leader deplored that such a situation clearly indicated that a conspiracy was hatched to cut MQM’s mandate to size, besides acts of terrorism, bomb blasts and firing on the party’s workers were aimed at deterring the MQM from launching its election campaign.
He sad though the motive behind such a conspiracy was to create scare so that MQM voters remained indoor on the polling day, the conspirators could not succeed in their nefarious designs as there were long queues of voters at polling stations.
Elaborating, Dr Sattar said that a religious party which in collusion with terrorists had planned such a conspiracy got perturbed over seeing long queue of people raced away from the competition despite the fact it was the same party that had made a tall claim that this time not their party but others would boycott the polls.
He also regretted that though the MQM fought the PPP’s case, its local leadership in order to find out an excuse for its defeat accused the MQM.
Expressing his dismay over the recent statement of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chief Imran Khan, Dr Sattar said that it was astonishing that it is the hospitalization of the PTI chief, the MQM and its chief Altaf Hussain repeated expressed solidarity with him and had also prayed for his speedy recovery.
He said that Imran Khan should see the way people had come out to exercise their right of vote in Punjab and he was being felicitated, it was obligatory upon him to utter few words in praise of Karachiites who came out of their houses in a large number to cast their votes and thus foiled the conspiracy of professional criminal mafia and terrorists.
Criticising some analysts for their partial comments, Dr Sattar said that it was felt that as if they were running the campaign of one or more than one party which, he added, amounted to violation of basic freedom of the Press.
Moreover, it was regretting that TV channels focused their full attention towards the 20-day long electioneering in Punjab, but on the polling day the entire media despite focusing on Karachi situation, neither highlighted the indifferent attitude meted out to MQM nor focused on the excesses committed against the party.
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4/19/2024 4:15:53 PM
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