Karachi Commissioner Shoaib Ahmed Siddiqui Wednesday said that all the political parties taking part in by-poll NA-246 have ensured maintaining peace throughout the by-election and even after that.
“The by-election has taken shape of paramount importance. World media has shown interest in it,” he said after an in-camera meeting with Additional IG Karachi Ghulam Qadir Thebo, Deputy Commissioner Central Afzal Zaidi, Brig Khurram Shehzad, regional officer Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), deputy regional officer ECP, administrator district municipal corporation Central and DIG West.
Siddiqui said the meeting was held to review arrangements so that the by-poll could be held smoothly. High security would be deployed to avert any untoward situation. Rangers would not only provide security to the by-election but monitor it as well. “It is good to see that all the parties have expressed eagerness to maintain peace in the city. They all have agreed that no firing would take place even after announcement of the results,” he said.
Leader of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Muhammed Hussain expressed satisfaction over security and other things; however he still had some reservations. He said the allegation of ghost polling stations in the constituency had proved to be false after investigation by the ECP team, which they should have made public. He said in case NIC card of anybody had expired or was in the process of renewing they should have been given leniency to vote on the basis of passport. “The government should not have banned pillion riding as there are many poor people who ride three or four people on motorcycles to cast vote,” he said.
Sources who attended the meeting said that pillion riding was banned on the basis of security threats received by security agencies. Hussain also demanded that women security officers should be appointed in women polling booths, to which ECP said efforts would be made to ensure placement of women security officers in women polling booths.
Jamaat-e-Islami candidate Rashid Naseem expressed complete satisfaction over the arrangements, especially installation of CCTV cameras; however, he said it would have been even better had there been biometric system.
“The formation of judicial commission has taken place as a consequence of efforts made by JI,” he claimed. A couple of less known Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf workers arrived for the meeting very late.