All the content is taken from a report is Issued by
Taj Haider
Coordinator
PPP Central Secretariat
Karachi
2/19/2008
MQM broke all records of rigging, ballot paper stamping and high handedness in Karachi to make sure that the mandate of the democracy loving people of Karachi was reversed. While results from even the far flung areas were being shown on television channels Karachi results were held up and it was almost this morning when the reversed and highly manipulated results in favor of MQM were given to the channels. NA 249 1. Official polling time ended at 5 PM but when PPP candidate took a round of polling stations he found that polling was in progress on 11 polling stations, where even 12 year olds were casting votes. 2. He protested. Subsequently, locks were placed outside the 11 polling stations and the polling staff was inside with MQM militants and workers. PPP polling agents in 7 of these polling stations were thrown out of the polling stations, while on the other 4 both gents and ladies polling agents were locked in rooms by the armed militants. 3. PPP candidate Habib Memon came to the Returning officer and gave him a hand written complaint in this regard. 4. At 6.45 PM MQM candidate Farooq Sattar came there with about 80 militants. About 60 of them were from the newly created City Police of the MQM. They put a cordon around the court of the Returning Officer Mr.Azim. 5. Farooq Stattar demanded that counting of the PPP candidate Habib Memon should be done first, while Habib Memon demanded that first of all the record from the 11 polling stations should be brought in after which counting should start for all the candidates. 6. The Returning Officer agreed with this legal demand and instructed the CPO, the Rangers and the TPO to bring the material from the 11 polling stations. No one however, brought the needed materials. 7. According to the totals of the results of the polling stations wherefrom material had already arrived (all except the disputed 11 stations) PPP candidate Habib Memon was leading by 39, 830 votes. 8. Earlier GEO television had made an announcement based on the results from some of these polling stations, in which Mr. Habib Memon was shown leading by 16,000 votes at that time. GEO did not make any further announcement about progressive results of this constituency. 9. MQM candidate Farooq Sattar continued to call Nazim Saddar Town Dilawar. Every time after he was connected he would move out of the room to talk to the Town Nazim. 10 At around 11.45 it was learnt that all the material of the polling stations had been shifted to the office of the Town Nazim Sadar, instead of the office of the Returning Officer. 11. The RO received calls from the Governor House. The Governor talked to the RO. In his reply the RO was heard repeating the word 73 and 61 several times. He was also seen writing the number 73 on a piece of paper. 12. Presiding Officers from 6 other polling stations from Lyari were also brought to office of Town Nazim Saddar by Rangers. 13. Around 3 A.M the bags containing polling material from polling stations started coming to the office of the RO. The last bag was brought by Town Nazim Saddar personally at 5 AM in the morning. 14. Immediately after that MQM candidate Farooq Sattar addressed a Press Conference announcing that he had won and had received 73,000 votes. 15. A large number of ballot papers stamped in favor of MQM candidate were picked up by PPP workers from outside the Town Nazim's office and from many other places. MQM had received only 28,000 votes in this constituency in 2002. Their support to dictatorship has 'earned' them additional 45,000 votes in these elections.
2/18/2008 NA 239 Polling stations 120 to 127 at MH School Baldia Saeedabad, Saeedabad dispensary, Waradeen Public School were occupied by use of force and PPP polling agents were thrown out. NA 240 House of PPP candidate, Abdullah Baloch surrounded by Rangers. NA 241 Shortage of polling staff reported at Ibrahim Ali Bhai School polling station. Each polling officer handling 2 ballot paper books. NA 243 Mutahida militants open fire and occupy Nayab School polling station. So also at GBSS Number 14 Sector 5D, Surjani polling station. NA 244 Presiding officer on Habib School Buffer Zone allowed MQM voters to cast votes without showing NIC cards enabling them to cast multiple votes. NA 246 At Azizah Memorial School GBSS School Sector 48 A Korangi and on polling stations 12, 13, 14, 17 and 18 Town Nazim Arif Khan advocate is personally supervising the stamping of ballot papers at these polling stations. PPP polling agents on Al Fayaz English School which has polling station numbers 3 and 4, Chakra Goth have been thrown out. NA 249 Madarsa e Islamia polling station in Kharadar has been taken over by militants of MQM. NA 250 PPP candidate Mirza Ikhtiar Baig was brought under heavy firing when he was visiting polling station 141 at FG Public Model School. He had to remain in the confines of the polling station for more than 90 minutes to save his life and was rescued by the police. Massive rigging by MQM took place in Doli Khata, Bizerta Lines, Pakistan Chowk, Ratan Talao, P & T Colony areas where MQM militants managed to get control. Presiding officers Shabbir Raza and Sardar Ali of the 2 polling stations located in FG School have confessed to the RO that militants had forced them to stamp voles in favor of MQM. NA 252 Large scale disturbances have taken place at Prince Garden School polling station in Garden West. Polling was stopped. Polling agents were thrown out and large scale stamping of ballot papers was witnessed. Polling stations at Cliton Sec. School, Girls School Jauharabad, Degree College Jamshed Road have been occupied and full speed stamping is going on. PPP polling agents on polling station, Ali Asghar School in Abbas Town and King School have been thrown out and stamping of ballot papers is going on. NA 253 It was a big catch in Gulshen e Iqbal when PPP workers led by Chief Polling agent Asif Khan seized 77 ballot books which were being stamped for MQM on the roof of National High School polling station. This happened in the presence of the Presiding Officer of the polling station. Presiding officer Kamal Shah at Government School Block 1 Gulshen has been very kind and has handed over ballot paper books to MQM camp outside the polling station. Everyone at MQM camp was facilitated to cast 5 to 10 votes. PPP camp got hold of a MQM supporter who had 35 ballot papers on him. The person was handed over to the police. NA 254 Polling stations 18 ICTS School, 9 Arma Abad KTS School, baalot papers being snatched and stamped for MQM. UC Nazim Jamal uddin threatening and harassing PPP voters in Al Fayaz School coast Guard Korangi. NA 257 PPP agents were not allowed inside Government Girls School Saudabad polling station. Heavy rigging was going on. PS 85 While fake ballot papers are in circulation in the constituency for the last two days, genuine ballot papers are not available at many polling stations. PS 90 80/90 ladies of MQM rushed inside Saeed Abad polling station, snatched ballot paper books and started stamping them. PS 94 Polling station Anjuman Muhammadia was occupied by militants. PS 95 UC Nazim Shahab with MQM militants entered and threatened PPP voters and briefed polling staff on how to vote for Kite. PS 97 Cousin of PPP candidate Babu Abdul Khaliq, Asad Mirza who was acting as his polling agent was kidnapped at gun point along with four other PPP workers. They have been taken to some unknown place. Polling station 15 Orangi Grammar School, 2 Johar Public School, 83 Amal e Darvish School, 79 TCF Secondary School, 80 ECF Primary School, Al Qamar Sec. School taken over by militants. SHO Tariq of Pakistan Bazar threatening to kill those who do not vote for MQM. Transparent ballot boxes at Johar Public School, Al Qamar School, New Heaven Star secondary School have been taken on the roof by MQM militants where those were being stuffed with fake votes. Four PPP polling agents have been kidnapped. At Disko Mor Sector 14 MQM militants pushed inside the ladies polling station and stamped votes after snatching ballot papers from lady voters. PS 98 Rangers managed to get the polling station at Peela School vacated from MQM militants twice in the morning. Later a big force of MQM militants attacked the polling station, broke the gate and scuffled with the rangers force. Rangers were holding ground, but as soon as they move the militants appear again. Polling stations at Umar Mengal primary School, Iqra Mohammaden School, Mount Hira School, Warsi School, Khwaja Boys School have also been taken over. PS 100 Polling stations 11 Unani Dispensary, 10, 6 Methodist School and Polling station 22 at Government Mehdi School was taken over by MQM. Heavy stamping was in progress. No police or Rangers were seen on the spot to stop them. PPP polling agents have been thrown out on polling stations 34, 35, 36 and 37. Presiding officer and assistant presiding officer at Qureshi Primary School polling station were reported to be putting stamps on the MQM symbol. PS 103 PPP election agents were thrown out from Polling stations 111, 112, 113 in Sultan Public School and TTC Haideri to facilitate stamping of ballot papers. PS 105 At Azizah Memorial School GBSS School Sector 48 A Korangi and on polling stations 12, 13, 14, 17 and 18 Town Nazim Arif Khan advocate is personally supervising the stamping of ballot papers at these polling stations. PPP polling agents on Al Fayaz English School which has polling station numbers 3 and 4, Chakra Goth have been thrown out. PS 110 PPP candidate Habib Jan fired upon by Mutahida militants and was rescued by Rangers. PS 113 Polling station at Aisha Bawany School taken over by MQM workers. Voters were being pressured to stamp on Kite in front of MQM polling agents. Mutahhida uprooted PPP polling camps at Nabi Bagh, Fazal ur Rahman and JMA school. Armed militants attacked PPP camp at JMA School. PS 115 Polling stations at Custom Public School, Islamia Girls College, Government Tehnical School and St. Patrick School were taken over by MQM militants. Heavy rigging was witnessed. PS 116 200 ballot papers stamped in favor of MQM were recovered from the possession of MQM worker Abdul Hasnain Khan S/0 Abdul Saleem Khan (NIC No 42201 7201558-7 in PIB Colony. The person was handed over to the PIB police station along with the stamped papers. Complaints about rigging were being received from Karachi Printing Press polling station on University Road. When the Chief Polling agent Salim Khurshid Khokar went to the polling station he found the presiding officer fixing stamp himself. PS 119 Polling station SOS School that had been rescued from militants is again occupied. Voters were being forced to vote for Kite. Presiding officer at Greenwich Public School was pressuring voters to stamp at kite. Four ballot boxes were stolen by MQM militants from Government School Shah Faisal Colony. PS 121 King Edward polling station was taken over. Voters were not being allowed to vote. PS 124 Polling station numbers 26, 27, 28 and CDGK No 9 taken over by militants. Polling stations at CDGK School, Korangi School Aziza School also occupied. Voters were being told to vote for kite. PS 125 Government Degree college at Bismillah stop, Government Boys Secondary School and Altaf School Korangi were been taken over. PS 126 Voting could not start at polling station 104 till 1.30 PM as the election staff did not come to this strong PPP area. Hundreds of voters that came early morning returned home without casting their votes. PS 127 Nisar Panhwar and Sajid Amir accompanied with a large number of armed people have occupied Green Peace School Patni Mohala. A PPP vehicle was fired upon near D-1 Area Imam Bargah. 5 ladies were injured in the stampede resulting from the firing. Unabated rigging has been going on Dak Khana School, Adam Hingoro Goth.
2/17/2008 In Karachi, lady health workers of the provincial government were called at several places (Landhi, Korangi, Cahnesar Goth) by MQM Nazims and sector in charges and were assigned duties as MQM polling agent at different polling stations. These LHWs were also ordered to bring a minimum of 5 ladies with them to work as polling agents. They were warned that if they did not turn up they stood to loose their jobs. The violation of ECP orders apart, this is a clear indication that in Karachi MQM cannot find lady polling agents from its own rank and file. Polling staff that has been assigned election duties was also called up at various sector offices of MQM and was told to act as blind, deaf and dumb persons on anything that happens around them. Also in Karachi last night an armed group of more than 200 MQM workers attacked the PPP stronghold of Angara Goth. The group was led by UC Nazim Khalid Rahim. They attacked PPP workers and 2 of the workers suffered serious fractures. Cars of PPP workers on which PPP stickers were pasted were badly damaged. PPP candidates Sathi Ishaq and Gazi Mustafa went to the Super Market Police Station but the SHO expressed his inability to register a FIR or even to receive a written complaint.
2/11/2008 Violence is on the rise as the polling date approaches near. Last night the PPP election camp erected opposite Abdullah Heights at Johar Chowrangi, Gulistan Johar, Karachi was burnt down by MQM, who were too upset about PPP putting up an election camp in area which they count as their “fort”. The point is located in PS 126 and NA 253 and tonight the PPP candidates are holding their public meeting at the very point where this election camp was erected and burnt down. Last night too 60/70-armed workers of MQM surrounded the Pak Colony residence of Sathi Ishaq PPP candidate from NA 247 and his younger brother Shabbir Qureshi PPP candidate from PS 92. Both the PPP candidates were out on the campaign but their old father was brought out, was threatened and abused in the most filthy language. When the people of the locality rushed to the spot a ready excuse was made that MQM banners and posters had been torn. People told the MQM militants that if that had really happened they should go to the Election authorities with their complaint. They had no business surrounding the residence of the PPP candidates. Vastly outnumbered they militants went away using foul and filthy language. The real facts as reported again and again in Dhandli Namas are that MQM has been tearing up PPP flags, banners and posters not only in this constituency but in other areas too. Earlier on the Chehlum day of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, when PPP candidates for NA Zafar Siddiqui and PS 99 Sohail Sami were returning from a Chehlum congregation with other PPP workers they were fired upon by a MQM group led by UC Nazim Ismail Rajput near Kahamisoo Goth Sindhi Hotel. PPP worker Ali Usman was seriously injured and rushed to hospital. UC Nazim Ismail Rajput approached Sohail Sami and put a TT pistol on his head. When Zafar Siddiqui advocate tried to stop him he was grabbed by the police and thrown into a mobile. Sohail and others showed exemplary courage and disarmed and overpowered Ismail Rajput. Having seen the attitude of the police who had already kidnapped Zafar Siddiqui, Sohail Sami rang up the Rangers and handed over Ismail Rajput to them. When Sohail and others reached the Bilal Colony Police station to lodge the FIR of the incident Soahil and PPP worker Abdul Jabbar were arrested by the police under a false FIR. As illicit weapon was also foisted on Sohail Sami by the police. PPP candidate Zafar Siddiqui advocate was thrown on the road side near a graveyard after almost 2 hours to find his way home in the cold and dark. When he contacted the police for registering an FIR he found that the police station was not ready to register an FIR against itself. Instead he had been himself implicated in 2 false cases. PPP leadership is now considering the option of registering an FIR through the Court.
2/10/2008 MQM with their hidden motives has lodged and FIR against Pakistan Peoples Party’s candidate for NA-250, Dr. Mirza Ikhtiar Baig on 3rd Feb at Arambagh Police Station. The complainant, Mohammad Riaz, Supervisor KESC, who was badly beaten and forced by MQM workers of Urdu Bazar to lodge this FIR against Mirza Ikhtiar Baig that he used force on them for installation of PPP flags in Urdu Bazar NA-250 Karachi, which is absolutely not true and baseless. MQM will use this FIR against PPP candidate at some appropriate time to disrupt election campaign, if no such measures will be taken.
2/3/2008 PPP candidates Sohail Ansari (NA 246) and Shakil Irani (PS 105) along with PPP workers of the area were fired upon when they were hoisting PPP flags on Aisha Manzil chowragi last night. The attackers, more than 20 in number were riding motor cycles and came from the side of MQM main office at 90 Aziz Abad. They were shouting MQM slogans and calling names and started shooting straight at the PPP workers. Two PPP workers Shaukat Manto and Soofi Ashraf were kidnapped by them on gun point and were dropped after torture near Mukka Chowrangi Aziz Abad. All this happened in the presence of a Rangers team that was on duty outside a Majlis. When the badly beaten up workers approached the Rangers they were told to go away. PPP candidates contacted 15 Emergency and went to the police station demanding that the attackers who were till then on Aishah Manzil Chowrangi removing PPP flags should be arrested. Police did not make any move. However they accepted a written complaint from the PPP candidates. PPP candidates of the area have been complaining that the families of Party workers were being constantly threatened with dire consequences if they continued to work for the Party. This sequence has been further intensified for the last 3 days and the mothers of PPP workers are being told to be ready for accepting the dead bodies of their sons.
1/31/2008 PPP candidates are now busy examining the locations of polling stations in various constituencies and strange facts are coming up and regular Dhandli oriented patterns are emerging. The Commission had announced that the polling stations shall remain unaltered unless there were very pressing reasons for shifting them to other locations. However the ground position is that these are being shifted on a large scale FROM PPP VOTE AREAS TO AREAS WHICH ARE PHYSICALLY CONTROLLED BY GOVERNMENT CANDIDATES. PS 120 In 2002 general elections there were 92 polling stations in this constituency which were housed in 90 different buildings in the areas where voters registered on them resided. Now there are 94 polling stations which have been located in just 26 buildings (more than 3 polling stations per building). All of these buildings are located in areas controlled by MQM militants, the so-called “Qila Altaf”s (Altaf Forts). Moreover, the buildings for male and female being the same a large number of female voters who will all be effected by and disturbance on any one of the polling stations. Te plan is obvious. Firstly, PPP voters who voted on the old locations will keep looking for hours and hours for their new locations. Secondly, even if they locate the new buildings they would be risking their lives to reach inside these “Altaf Forts”. Lady voters who are expected to come out in thousands after the Shahadat of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto would specially be at high risk in these “No Go Areas”. Thirdly, with the areas already under the control of Mutahida militants it will be no problem for them to occupy these 26 buildings, throw out polling agents of opposing candidates and push thousands of bogus votes inside ballot boxes. PPP candidate Ahmad Wasim Alvi and his lawyer Rahat Fazal Choudhry have written a five-page application giving entire details of these shifting to the Provincial Election Authority. Unfortunately, the answer that they received was that the papers would be forwarded to the Chief Election Commissioner’s office in Islamabad. One wonders that if the policy guidelines are clear and the facts and locations are here in Karachi, why can’t the Provincial Election Office decide the matter on policy and merit and order that the polling stations should be made on the 2002 locations. PS 117 PPP voters living in Baloch Para near Lasbela Bridge will have to travel to polling station N0. 123 located in Government Elementary School Old LaluKhet near Nishtar Road (area controlled by MQM militants). Moreover, while the actual total number of Male and Female voters on this polling station is 3,787. the total in the official Gazzette is given as 2,607. This is obviously done to justify single polling station instead of two polling stations under the rules for the voters of this traditionally PPP area. The plan to occupy this polling station, and throw out almost 4,000 PPP voters is only too obvious in this case.
1/26/2008 NA 257 PPP candidate Riaz Hussain Baluch has sent a reminder application to the Chief Election Commissioner pointing out that no action not even a hearing had taken place on his earlier complaints made to the Election Commissioner. Giving a resume of earlier complaints he has mentioned that some polling stations situated in PS 127, which is part of his NA constituency had been shifted for no apparent reason to areas that are considered highly sensitive and are dominated by MQM. In the general elections of 2002 no complaint had been received on these polling stations and the polling had been conducted peacefully and smoothly. The clear intention behind the shifting of these polling stations to sensitive areas was to deter the PPP voters from casting their votes, occupy the polling stations and to cast bogus votes in thousands for MQM. Similarly, there had been no response or action on his request to the District Returning Officer to order deployment of Army inside and outside sensitive polling stations both of PS 121 and PS 127. Deployment of Army was necessary to prevent the takeover of these polling stations by the armed militants of MQM. Candidate Riaz Baluch has also expressed his serious concern over the proposed recruitment of volunteers for maintaining law and order on polling stations on the polling day. He has pointed out that while recruitment in the police force and other departments were already being made on political basis for the last so many years, this new scheme was only a gimmick for recruiting MQM militants temporarily and creating an opportunity for them to physically takeover the polling stations. There is a unique situation in PS 121 where in clear violation of rules some of the polling stations have been made on the ground floors of houses where the owners belonging to MQM live on the first floor. It may be remembered here that NA 257 has seen large scale disturbances some days back where PPP workers were attacked by armed militants of MQM. These incidents were reported in earlier Dhandli Namas. PS 117 PPP candidate Pir Abdul Rashid in an application to the Chief Election Commissioner has said that he had been a candidate from this constituency in the bye-elections held on 10th December 2005, which had been marred with large-scale violence and takeover of polling stations by the MQM. Complaints which were totally ignored by the Election Commission included occupying of polling stations and physical attacks of women voters of PPP. Most of the incidents had taken place in the presence of officials belonging to the Election Commission. In his application Pir Abdul Rashid has said that in UC 10 Jamshed Town, Jail Road, Martin Quarters, PPP banners and flags were being torn and removed and all over this constituency PPP workers were being threatened and harassed. There was every likelihood that the unfortunate events of the bye-elections would be repeated this time as well. Pir Abdul Rashid has requested that special security arrangements may be made at Razi Children, Staff Welfare, Jehangir Road No 3, Cliton Road, White Hall and Agha Khan polling stations.
1/25/2008 PPP candidate Babu Abdul Khaliq has reported to the Chief Election Commissioner that armed men sitting in a white colored Honda Civic with tinted glasses are continuously following him. He has already informed the SHO Surjani but no action has been taken and the threat to Babu Abdul Kkaliq’s life continues. In his complaint to the Chief Election Commissioner Babu Khaliq has also given the names of 5 Nazims, Naib Nazims and a councilor, who are using public resources in the campaign and also accompanied by criminal elements are removing PPP banners and flag and are threatening PPP workers. This matter has also been reported to the police but no action has been taken as yet.
1/22/2008 Open flouting of the Election Commission’s directive banning transfers and postings continues unabated. This time it is PML (Q) ex-minister’s and now candidate IN Jacobaabd Sohrab Sarki’s own younger brother Asif Ali Sarki who has been transferred and given a new posting. Asif Ali Sarki Sub-Registrar Lyari Town has been posted as Sub-Registrar-1 Gulshen Iqbal Town with immediate effect, in place of Mushtaq Ahmad Gopang on the orders Inspector General of Registration Sindh. The orders N0. PS/219-22/IGR/2008 dated 16 -01 – 2008 also transfer and post Mushtaq Ahmad Gopand as Sub-Registrar Lyarai Town. Thus the two officials have been merely interchanged. There obviously is no apparent reason for this mutual transfer except that the ex-minister’s brother is considered more ‘reliable” in an area where the position of the ruling party’s candidate is in danger. Whoever is posted in Lyari Town hardly makes a difference since Lyari is a solid PPP area where even the minister’s brother cannot make any difference. PPP Anti-Rigging Cell has been reminding the Election Commission of Pakistan again and again that unless firm action was taken against those who were openly defying their constitutional authority, these violations will continue unabated. No inquiry or proofs are required in complaints regarding transfers and postings after the announcement of election schedule and if no action was taken even in these clear cases what could the nation expect from the Commission in complaints in other pre-poll, polling day or post–poll rigging cases. PS 97 MQM had not been a part of the Regime in 2002, they were not in the city government either. However, at many places their militant wing had successfully managed to capture many polling stations, throw away polling agents of other candidates and stuff the ballot boxes. PPP candidate from PS 97 Babu Abdul Khaliq has given a list of 47 polling stations of his constituency (more than 50 % of total polling stations) to the Election Commission where large poling agents of opposing candidates had been thrown out in the last general elections by MQM. Babu Abdul Khaliq has requested the Election Commission to declare these as sensitive polling stations and provide adequate security at these locations.
1/14/2008 Shaeed Sami Dehalvi’s son Sohail Sami Dehalvi has been given PPP ticket to contest from constituency No 99 of the provincial assembly. His worker Sbdul Razzak s/o Mohammad Hanif was kidnapped this afternoon by MQM workers in Sector 5J, while returning from his office. Razzaq was badly beaten up. When the PPP candidate contacted the SHO he was told that he SHO was out of the area. The incident has also been reported to the Rangers and the Army authorities. MQM has opened its election office in Sector 5J right next to the PPP office. MQM militants sit there with openly displaying firearms.
1/13/2008 PPP Election office in Zaman Abad, (NA 255, PS 122) was attacked by armed persons last night at 8.30 PM. The attackers beat up PPP workers who were present at the office and ordered PPP City area Secretary Information, Wajahat Ullah Khan to close the office and leave. Even after the office was forcibly closed the attackers did not leave the spot for some time. The area MQM office denied any connection with the attackers. The police reached the spot after some time. However, no FIR of the incident was registered and no action was taken to arrest the attackers. One wonders as to who other than MQM could be opposed to PPP opening an election office and going to the extent of attacking the PPP workers and if the attackers were not affiliated with MQM
1/7/2008 Similar is the situation in Karachi where PPP candidate on NA-249 has complained to the Chief Election Commissioner that after the breaking in of his house on December 25 in which his family was held on gunpoint, valuable articles and cash were taken away and they were threatened with dire consequences if Habib Memon did not withdraw from the contest, he was again receiving threats on telephone that he will be eliminated if he did not withdraw. Habib Memon has been sending copies of his various complaints to the Election Commission to the administrative authorities but so far no notice or action has been taken by any quarter on these complaints. This further emboldens those who want to aggravate the conflict and postpone the elections further as they have previously postponed the 8th January date.
12/26/2007 PPP candidate on NA 249 Habib Memon has written to the Election Commission that polling stations Nos 32, 33, 34 of the constituency are situated in sensitive areas which have seen lot of disturbance in previous elections. Habib Memon has also raised serious objections on the location of Polling station 113 situated in the premisis of a private school known as Librel Model School which is next to the MQM office. The place besides having a narrow stair case of just 3 feel width is also a known dump of arms and ammunition and refuge of criminals. This private place had been made a polling station during the last local body elections and large scale rigging had taken place here. There is a government building, the G.G.T.S Kharadar which has served as a polling station on the past and confirms to all the legal requirements, the PPP candidate has mentioned. . He has also mentioned that polling station Nos 56 to 58 situated in CDGK Primary School Usman Abad is situated very far from the area in which the voters registered in the area live. The nearest point is the Lyari Degree College, Old Haji Camp, where these polling stations should be shifted. The campaign to take down PPP flags and banners and attack and threaten PPP workers continues unabated in Karachi. PPP flags and banners hoisted last night in Asif Colony, G Ward at Mangopir Road were taken down during the night. Last night Sandeep Kumar, Member, Anti-Rigging Cell was stopped while going home by two boys on a motor cycle and was warned not to come to the PPP Central Secretariat again. In Paposh Nagar area Coordinating Secretary of the Cultural Wing Asim Ali’s motor cycle was stopped on the main road by more than 50 MQM workers. The PPP flag on his motor cycle was snatched away and he was fired at when he was leaving the spot.
12/25/2007 PPP candidate on PS 97 Babu Abdul Khaliq has complained against the conduct of SHO Pakistan Bazar Orangi Tariq Malik who along with his force and MQM workers is removing PPP flags and banners from his area and is openly threatening PPP workers who try to stop him from this illegal activity. The situation in the area has reached an extent where in Ghazi Abad UC 6 Orangi MQM workers opened firing in front of the election office of the PPP candidate.
12/23/2007 Frustrated over the poor response it is getting from the general public even in its so called “strongholds” MQM has started bringing forward its militants to harass and terrorize the general public. MQM strategy is obvious. Terrorize the people now to ensure a very low turn out on polling day. Capture the polling stations by force and stuff the ballot boxes. PS 112 PPP flags hoisted on Pakistan Chowk and Burns Road have been taken down by MQM militants, MQM Sector In-charge of Burns Road Sector Fayaz is visiting homes of PPP workers with his armed colleagues and is threatening them to leave the area. It may be remembered that during the last bye-elections on NA 250 it was in this area that PPP candidate Nafis Siddiqui was attacked when he demanded to see the NIC of a presiding officer. Last night, Pakistan Peoples Party’s senior worker Ilyas Patel was kidnapped and tortured by MQM armed men. PS 110 Militants Javed, Aamir, Ayaz, Kamran Chatta Pati, Mushtaq, Munna and about 20 others from Unit 29 attacked the Qurbani hide collecting van of Halai Ghanchi Muslim Jamat Committee and took away more than 80 hides that had been donated to the Committee. Yaseen Sulmean Ghanchi who was in-charge of the team doing the collection tried to resist, on which heavy firing was resorted to by the militants. MQM Town Nazim Saddar Town Dilawar, SHO Idd Ghah Shah Rukh Khan and DSP Mazhar Malik were negotiating for the return of part of the snatched hides. However, no FIR against the militants is being registered. PS 97 Tension persists in Nasri Goth of the Christian minority which was attacked by MQM a couple of days back as a punishment for hoisting PPP flags. MQM supported councilor Tony is going to the houses of PPP workers accompanied with armed persons and giving threats. Shops in Nasri Goth have been closed forcibly and MQM locks have been put on them. These armed groups are led by MQM unit in-charge Mateen, Nazim UC 7 Sattar, Ex Unit in-charge Shaukat Sardar and Azhar Iqbal. PPP workers Ashraf, and Bashir have been forced to leave the Goth threatened with their life. PS 107 PPP flags hoisted from Teen Hatti to Dak Khana chowk and from Dak Khana to Rizvia Colony have been removed by the MQM . PPP poster in this area have been torn and disfigured. When a complaint was made in this regard MQM Sector Incharge Hanif Memon, Khalid Rahim, Nazim UC 4 (Dak Khana), Shamim member Sector Committee came over to the PPP candidate and gave death threats to him and other PPP workers who were with the candidate at that time.
12/15/2007 Groups of pro regime MQM workers were roaming around in various parts of the city harassing the opposition and creating grave provocations. It appears that MQM wants to create a law and order situation and use it to its advantage. In Moosa colony, block 5, Federal B area situated in PS 105 MQM groups went around removing PPP flags and election banners of the PPP candidate. Electricity and telephone poles that had been painted in PPP colors since October for the arrival of Mohtarma to Pakistan were also targeted and repainted in MQM colors. The police under the so called “neutral” caretakers preferred to ignore the provocations as also complaints made by PPP candidates in this regard.
12/14/2007 PPP candidate from PS 97 Babu Abdul Khaliq Mirza has sent a list of 73 polling stations in PS 97, NA – 242 and 243 Karachi (West) which are located in private buildings, where as government buildings are available in the respective areas. In front of the names of each of these polling stations Babu Abdul Khaliq has also given the names of alternate polling stations, which confirm to the requirements of relevant election laws. At least 4 of the polling stations where voters of PS 97 are registered to vote are not situated in PS 97. They are located in adjacent constituency PS 96. Another 4 are situated at great distance from the blocks of their registered voters, while nearby places exist and have been pointed out. In gross violation of Section 8 (4) of the representation of Peoples Act 1976, three of the polling stations actually belong to office bearers of MQM who have put up their candidate in this constituency.
12/13/2007 In the last bye-election on NA250 record rigging and strong arms tactics were employed by the ruling MQM, which gave them many times the votes in a bye-election than they had received in general elections on this seat. Innovative methods of rigging included asking many of the presiding officers to stay home while their “duties” at the polling stations were performed by Halaf Yaftas of the MQM. When the PPP candidate asked the presiding officer to show his National Identity Card, he was attacked by armed MQM workers inside the polling station. His car was also badly damaged. Dr. Mirza Ikhtiar Baig PPP candidate from this constituency has given a list of 47 polling stations located in PS 112 and another 19 polling stations located in PS 113 where large scale rigging and violence had taken place in the bye-elections, to the Returning Officer. In his application Dr. Baig has said that there is a danger of heavy rigging and violence at these polling stations this time too. He has asked for additional force to check blatant violation of election rules and the use of strong-arm methods by MQM.
12/12/2007 In the last bye-election on NA250 record rigging and strong arms tactics were employed by the ruling MQM, which gave them many times the votes in a bye-election than they had received in general elections on this seat. Innovative methods of rigging included asking many of the presiding officers to stay home while their “duties” at the polling stations were performed by Halaf Yaftas of the MQM. When the PPP candidate asked the presiding officer to show his National Identity Card, he was attacked by armed MQM workers inside the polling station. His car was also badly damaged. Dr. Mirza Ikhtiar Baig PPP candidate from this constituency has given a list of 47 polling stations located in PS 112 and another 19 polling stations located in PS 113 where large scale rigging and violence had taken place in the bye-elections, to the Returning Officer. In his application Dr. Baig has said that there is a danger of heavy rigging and violence at these polling stations this time too. He has asked for additional force to check blatant violation of election rules and the use of strong-arm methods by MQM.
12/10/2007 Gulshan Town Nazim Wasey Jalil accompanied by UC 8 Nazim Rehan Rais raided Jamali Colony in Gulshen, where PPP supporters had hoisted hundreds of PPP flags. The two nazims locked up the shops in the bazaar of Jamali colony and threatened that locks could only be opened when the PPP flags had been taken down.
12/8/2007 PPP candidate from PS 97 Babu Abdul Khaliq Mirza in an application addressed to the Election Commission of Pakistan has pointed out the rule that polling stations could either be situated in government buildings and where no such premsis existed only on public property. Babu Abdul Khaliq has given a list of 36 polling stations situated in NA 242 & 243 and PS 97 which have been situated in private buildings and has requested that the same may be shifted to government premises.
12/7/2007 The neutrality facade of the caretakers has once again come apart in the elections in NA 250 of Karachi, where the wife of the caretaker Education Minister Shujaat Ali Baig is the MQM candidate. The Minister is seen campaigning vigorously for his wife Ms Khush Bakht Shujaat in the constituency with officials of the department in attendance. It should be noted that it is the Education department, now under the husband Shujaat Ali Baig, which supplies the bulk of the election staff on the polling day. Record rigging and strong arm tactics by MQM had been seen in the bye elections in this constituency just last year. The PPP candidate Nafees Siddiqui in that election was physically attacked and his car was smashed by MQM, when he demanded to see the NIC of the person who was “officiating” as presiding officer at a polling station.
Issued By:
Taj Haider
Coordinator
PPP Central Secretariat
Karachi
No comments:
Post a Comment