Workers of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and Haqiqi Mohajir Quami Movement (MQM-H) disrupted the ongoing PS-115 elections in Karachi by engaging in a fight.
Polling for by-elections in NA-245 and PS-115 constituencies is in progress which will continue without any break till 5:00 pm.
Workers clash in Lines Area
The infuriated workers of MQM and MQM-H resorted to the exchange of harsh words in Lines area and clashed with each other while the activists also chanted slogans.
The situation turned violent and tense when a camp of one party was uprooted by workers of the other after face off between the two sides.
The local administration summoned Rangers personnel after which the workers peacefully dispersed.
On the other hand, a scuffle was taken place between a female voter and polling agent in Jutt Lines area of Karachi when she was barred from casting the vote.
Getting the information about the fray, the political workers outside the polling station staged a protest and raised slogans against the electoral staffers.
The security officers stepped into the matter and resolved the issue between both the parties.
In the electoral process, 413,000 voters will exercise their voting rights in NA-245 while 162,614 voters will cast their votes in PS-115.
All major parties have fielded their candidates for both the constituencies. However, the main contest will be between Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP).
Earlier on Wednesday evening, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate Amjadullah Khan announced his withdrawal from the NA-245 by-election in the favour of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) candidate Kamal Malik and joined MQM few hours before the polling was about to start.
Amjadullah stated during a press conference that “Imran Khan doesn‘t know anything about politics he should be doing welfare work. He is a good person but he cannot handle the party.”
He presented a list of grievances that he had with PTI. He stated that the local leadership had offered neither support nor any cooperation in the election.
Khan also complained that PTI chairman Imran Khan had not contacted him a single time for an update on the situation; instead, he was left on his own.
It may be recalled that NA-245 and PS-115 fell vacant because of resignations of MQM‘s Rehan Hashmi and Arshad Vohra after they were elected in local bodies‘ elections.
Read more: PTI nominee withdraws from NA-245 by-polls in favour of MQM