The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) on Thursday achieved a sweeping victory in the by-polls held for NA-245 and PS-115, according to unofficial results, as violence and controversy marred the polling in the two constituencies of Karachi with scuffles breaking out between rival parties at some polling stations and an election candidate changing loyalties at the last moment.
MQM’s candidate Kamal Malick managed to secure more than 39,000 votes, while PPP’s Shahid Hussain managed to secure around 3,000 votes for the NA-245 seat.
A large number of MQM supporters and activists were seen celebrating the victory in the constituency.
Earlier, hours before polling began at 8am, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate for NA-245, Amjadullah Khan, stepped down in favour of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement. Amjadullah made the last minute announcement in a press conference at the MQM’s Nine-Zero headquarters.
“With great regret, I have to say that people like me are unable to fit in parties like the PTI,” said Amjadullah, flanked by senior MQM leaders. He said that class differences between rich and poor were present in the PTI, and that there was a serious lack of discipline in the Karachi chapter of the PTI, prompting him to leave the party.
But, soon after his announcement, Amjadullah came under attack not only from leaders of his former party, but also the Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP), which claimed that he approached them earlier and demanded money to withdraw from the by-election.
Najmi Alam, president of the PPP Karachi chapter, said Amjadullah met him Wednesday night before joining the MQM and offered to withdraw in favour of the PPP. Alam claimed Amjadullah asked the PPP for monetary benefits to withdraw by-poll, but the PPP rejected his offer, after which he approached another party.
Amjadullah denies accusations:
At another press conference to address the allegations, Amjadullah denied demanding money to step down as a candidate in the polls.
“I have joined the MQM of my own will. I have neither been bribed, nor did I demand any money or position before joining the MQM. The PPP should refrain from childish politics,” he said.
Amjadullah said that he had joined the MQM will perform duties as a party worker. He challenged the PPP to present proof of the allegations it had leveled against him.
He said that he was financially well-off, the owner of a profitable industry, and that he had no need to ask for money. He said that he had joined the PTI because he was impressed by Imran Khan. “But I was disappointed by the PTI Karachi leadership, and so I left the party.”
Election should be declared void, demands PTI:
But, if the allegations by the PPP Karachi president weren’t enough, PTI leader Imran Ismail also took a swipe at his former colleague, saying that he wouldn’t have backed Amjadullah for a party ticket if he would have known earlier.
Speaking at a press conference, Ismail demanded that the Election Commission of Pakistan declare results of the by-polls at NA-245 null and void after their candidate stepped down in favour of the MQM hours before start of polling.
Ismail apologized to PTI workers, saying that it was his idea to give a party ticket to Amjadullah. “How could he suddenly find problems with the PTI when he contested the election on the party’s ticket.”
Ismail alleged that Amjadullah had previously been disturbed by an attack on a PTI election camp. He said that he might have left the party after being pressurized by the MQM.
Scuffles between MQM, Muhajir Qaumi Movement supporters:
Meanwhile, the Lines Area neighbourhood was the scene of clashes between both male and female workers of the MQM and their rivals, the Muhajir Qaumi Movement formerly known as the MQM-Haqiqi.
A clash erupted between MQM voters and MQM-Haqiqi supporters at a women polling station in Jet Lines area, with one side accusing the other of forcing them to vote for their rival party. Rangers reached the spot to calm voters and polling resumed.
But the situation turned tense when aerial shots were fired following a scuffle at another polling station. One person was reported have been injured in the stampede sparked by the aerial firing.
The election commission ordered removal of camp set up by a political party near Pahar Ganj for violation of code of conduct. The camp had been placed within 200 meters of the polling station, polling officers said. Other camps were also removed near the Inter Board Office.
Polling for both by-elections was scheduled to continue without any interval until 5pm.
The NA-245 and PS-115 seats had fallen vacant after the resignations of MQM’s Rehan Hashmi and Arshad Vohra after they were elected in the local bodies’ elections.
The NA-245 constituency includes areas: Nagan Chowrangi, Sakhi Hasan, Five Star, Shadman and barren areas around the Inter Board Office. There are 409,655 registered voters in the area. There are 227 polling stations in the area.
The constituency PS-115 includes areas around Lines Area and New Sindhi Muslim Society. At PS-115 the main contestants were MQM candidate Faisal Rafiq and Mohajir Qaumi Movement-Haqiqi candidate Jamil Qadri. The seat was left vacant after parliamentarian Arshad Vohra resigned. He has been nominated as deputy mayor by the MQM now.
Over 100,000 voters were registered in the constituencies with 83 polling stations in the area.
The Sindh government had put in place strict security arrangements at both the constituencies. The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has deployed Rangers personnel to perform duties in order to ensure necessary security arrangements. The ECP has awarded power of the first class magistrate to the Rangers officers.