The Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) on Saturday announced boycotting elections from Karachi and Hyderabad.
Following suit, other political and politico-religious parties pulled their candidates out of the polling race because of alleged rigging in the two cities.
Addressing a news conference in Karachi‚ JI chief Munnawar Hassan said the party had withdrawn its candidates from all constituencies of Karachi and two constituencies of Hyderabad as JI supporters were not allowed to cast their votes.
Hassan alleged that the voters of his party were being harassed, adding that the MQM workers had forcibly hijacked their elections.
He said the party would hold peaceful protest demonstrations on Monday against the alleged rigging of the elections in Karachi and Hyderabad.
“We have received numerous reports of rigging in many polling stations of the both cities,” he said, adding that in protest, the party had decided to withdraw all its candidates from Karachi and Hyderabad.
The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) also expressed reservations, saying elections in Karachi were rigged under an effective planning.
Addressing a press conference, senior PPP leaders Taj Haider said election results in Karachi would be tampered with.
The Muttahida Qaumi Movement also complained of rigging, and later announced boycotting the polls from NA-248 where Nabil Gabol, who had recently joined the party, was contesting polls.
Addressing a press conference, MQM’s Farooq Sattar alleged that rigging was underway at some polling stations of Karachi.
MQM chief Altaf Hussain telephoned Chief Election Commissioner Fakhruddin G Ebrahim to complain about delay in the beginning of polling process in various constituencies.
Muhajir Qaumi Movement-Haqeeqi (MQM-H) chief Afaq Ahmed announced boycotting the elections in Karachi, saying that the polling held in the constituency was not free and fair.
The Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) also pulled its candidates out of the polling race in Karachi, alleging that rigging was being carried out in an organised way.
The Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan (JUP) followed suit. During a press conference, JUP central leader Sahibzada Abul-khair Muhammad Zubair bemoaned rigging in Karachi and Hyderabad and announced boycotting from the two cities.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) faced the same situation in Karachi, but boycotted elections from Hyderabad only.
“Received massive complains today, 90 percent were against the PML-N, mostly of its workers harassing women and 9 percent were against the MQM terrorism for and 1 percent were against others,” said PTI Chairman Imran Khan in his message on Twitter.
“Pakistan is witnessing a historic turnout today. We demand the ECP extend the voting time to allow all voters to exercise their right to vote,” he said.
Majlis-e-Wahdat-ul-Muslimeen (MWM), an alliance of Shia parties, also boycotted the elections.
In Balochistan, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (Nazriyati) leader Maulana Abdul Qadir Loni announced boycotting the elections and so did Jamhoori Wattan Party.
MQM rejects:
Meanwhile, in response to JI’s allegations, the MQM’s central leader, Haider Abbas Rizvi said people of Karachi had rejected religious extremists.
He said the allegations were baseless and unfounded, adding that the JI had already been defeated in the elections and was finding an escape route from them.