Gangsters rule the roost at Lyari, Keamari

Gangsters of Lyari held the town and adjoining areas in its grip, including Old City Area, on D-Day to get Peoples Buzurg Committee (PBC) nominated candidates elected.
Interestingly, the gangsters also helped the EC to complete the election process in the town, despite the fear that engulfed the area after a bomb blast in Landhi. In order to calm them down, the Lyari gangsters assured them security. But intimidation remained the name of the game when gangsters forced people to cast their votes, or else do away with their lives.
According to initial reports, the PPP was leading in Lyari with public support. Other political parties, including Katchi Rabta Committee (KRC), PTI, PML-N and others, were completely ignored by the locals.
Meanwhile, a low number of locals had cast their vote to MQM mostly in Kalakot, Agra Taj, Bihaar Colony and Abdul Khaliq Road. From the look of things, the elections in Lyari were totally misappropriate.
The polling stations of Joona Masjid were totally empty till 10:00 am. Besides, locals of Niazi Chowk had to return to their homes due to non-availability of polling stationeries, ballot papers and boxes.
On the other hand, other areas of Lyari, including Kalakot, Singulane, Afshaani gali, Kaddvi and Gul Muhammad Lane were in complete hold of the PPP. Inhabitants of these areas were being taken out of their houses to cast their votes. Most were threatened with dire consequences in case they did not vote.
Apart from this, plenty of polling stations were lacking polling agents while people were seen casting votes all by themselves. Further, no police force and security officials were present at these polling stations.
A large number of polling stations in Lyari were under the control of Lyari gangsters, where they deployed their men to carry out the process by helping out voters. Though they were helping the people in casting their valuable votes, but they also forced them to vote only for PPP. Many voters claimed that they were there to vote to Sardar Uzair Jan Baloch and not the PPP.
On the other hand, KCR accused Lyari Gang War of massive rigging in Lyari, Keamari and Old City Area. “There was massive rigging on NA-248 seat and two PA seats including PS-108 and PS-89,” a KRC candidate for PS-89 Muhammad Saleh Katchi told Pakistan Today. 80 percent polling stations in Lyari, Keamari and Old City Area were occupied by Lyari gangsters and they did not allow anyone to vote for any other party apart from the PPP,” he accused.
The gangsters were holding buckets in their hands and roamed the streets of the two towns to collect votes from the people,” he maintained.
“Two polling agents namely Ismail and Farooque were kidnapped while four katrchi were beaten-up by the gangsters,” he alleged.
MQM Coordination Committee Deputy Convener and NA-249 candidate Farooq Sattar had said that the worst kind of rigging was being done at the polling stations of NA-248 and NA-249. He accused that polling process was being deliberately slowed down in some areas, while elements of Lyari gangs had taken over polling stations.
Addressing a press conference at Khursheed Begum Secretariat Dr Sattar said that terrorists of the gang war had forcefully taken away ballot boxes and ballot papers and depositing them at the polling stations after stamping the ballot papers.
Sattar said that similar situation was being witnessed in other NA constituencies as well, including NA-240, NA-250, NA-251, NA-253 and NA-255 where a large number of bogus votes were being cast.
Further, Sattar said that polling started late by at least three hours at over 75 percent polling stations due to unavailability of ballot papers and ballot boxes. He said that the election commission and other authorities concerned should fix the responsibility of criminal negligence on culprits.
Meanwhile the CEC and the DRO said that the armed forces were responsible for the work.
Moreover, Sattar said that the polling process was also being slowed down by police and rangers on the pretext of checking. This negated the holding of free and transparent elections, he added.
Speaking on the occasion, MQM candidate from NA-248 Nabil Gabol said that all the polling stations in Lyari had been captured by terrorists, and they were casting bogus votes. He said that even the returning officer of NA-248 was not attending his phone. He further said that a presiding officer was also kidnapped from phool patti lane in Lyari.
Meanwhile, member of MQM Coordination Committee Raza Haroon condemned the firing on MQM workers in Nawabshah that resulted in the death of one MQM worker. He said media should not level allegations against any party before the announcement of election results.
Speaking on the occasion former MNA Haider Abbas Rizvi said that the people had come out on the polling day on the appeal of MQM chief Altaf Hussain and allegations of rigging were directly affecting the party.