Re-polling in 43 polling stations in Karachi’s NA-250 constituency officially began amidst tight security on Sunday, local media reported.
Along with police and Rangers, military personnel were also present at the polling stations to provide security.
Earlier, polling was not held in these stations as per schedule on May 11 due to the absence of presiding officers and electoral staff.
Due to widespread complaints of alleged rigging and irregularities, the ECP had postponed polling in 43 polling stations of the NA-250, PS-112 and PS-113 constituencies.
Meanwhile, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) boycotted the re-polling in protest.
The MQM had announced its boycott of the re-polling on Friday after its demand for re-polling in the entire NA-250 constituency was rejected. On the other hand, PPP’s local leader Najmi Alam in an about-face told a news conference on Saturday night that the party was boycotting the re-polling saying the ECP was not willing “to listen to us”.
The PPP’s decision to boycott the re-polling came hours after PPP Sindh’s General Secretary Taj Haider, in a statement, urged party workers and supporters to fully participate in the election process.