Senior leader of the Mutahidda Qaumi Movement (MQM) Dr Farooq Sattar has alleged that massive rigging took place in union councils of Landhi and fake votes were cast as he claimed 25 polling stations were completely occupied by rival political activists.
Addressing a press conference at party’s Landhi sector-office on Saturday, Farooq Sattar said that polling agents were terrified to lodge complaints of rigging. He complained that millions of MQM voters were disenfranchised from Orangi and their polling agents were not allowed in polling stations.
The MQM leader moaned that several complaints were lodged, but none of their 70 polling agents were provided any help which was a matter of grave concern. He claimed that massive rigging took place in UC-17 Polling Station Navy School, UC-15 Baldia Girls School, Noor Manzil, UC-16 Bright Future School, GBSS B1 Area School, Mono-Technical College, UC 19 ADO Office Landhi, Arif Hussain School, Government Urdu Primary School and Al-Hira Govt Elementary School, Shaheen School, Al-Asif School, UC 18 Iqbalia School in Khwaja Ajmer Nagri, UC-20 Baldia Rashidia School, Firdous School, Prince School, Govt Girls School. He also identified some UC 15 polling stations where vote manipulation was allegedly took place.
Sattar alleged that no less than 25 of the 68 polling stations in more than seven union councils of Landhi had been taken over by their opponent Mohajir Qaumi Movement-Haqiqi.
The MQM leader questioned: “Why no action was taken when more than 25 men workers and around 20 women workers of MQM were subjected to maltreatment while no MQM polling agent was allowed to guide their voters reaching these polling stations?”
Dr Farooq Sattar accompanied by Nasreen Jalil, another senior leader of MQM, said that the matter was immediately reported to the ECP, however, his party decided to intimate people about the situation through media. Sattar demanded re-election in as many as 68 polling stations. During the press conference, the injured MQM workers lying on the tables were presented before the media. Sattar initially demanded re-polling on 25 polling stations of Landhi but after receiving a chit, he changed demand to 68 polling stations. In response, Muhajir Qaumi Movement leader Afaq Ahmed said his voters and supporters were threatened. Following the tensions, the Director General (DG) Rangers – Sindh also visited Landhi and Korangi areas.
