Karachi by-poll: 1 dead, several injured in clashes between PSP, MQM-P and TLP

[MenInG]

At least one dead and over a dozen injured in armed clashes between political workers of rival parties — PSP, MQM-P and TLP — during the by-election in Karachi’s NA-240 constituency on Thursday.

JPMC head Dr Shahid Rasul confirmed to The Express Tribune that the hospital received three persons and one body.

MQM-P leader and federal minister Aminul Haq said at least 10 workers of his party sustained injuries during the clash.

Similarly, the TLP has said that workers of a political party opened fire on the car of its chief Saad Hussain Rizvi.


The armed activists also demolished the election camps of their rival parties and exchange of fire between them caused a stampede in the area.

Tensions flared in the area after the incident with a contingent of police and Rangers reached the spot to bring the situation under control.

SP Landhi said that efforts were being made to control the commotion and some persons were detained on the spot.

Meanwhile, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, taking notice of the firing incident in NA-240, said that nobody would be allowed to take the law in his hands.

He directed IG Police Ghulam Nabi Memon and the Karachi police chief to take strict action against the persons involved in firing incidents and skirmishes.

“We can’t allow anybody to disrupt the peaceful polling process,” he said.

The chief minister also urged political parties participating in the bye-election to demonstrate responsible attitude. “We are political people and should not allow violence.”

On its official Twitter handle, the PSP accused the TLP activists of opening fire during the media talk of its chairman Syed Mustafa Kamal and added that the party's central leader sustained injuries.


The party also accused the MQM-P workers of attempting to “assassinate” Kamal in Landhi-6 area of the constituency.


The PSP claimed that the MQM-P in connivance with presiding officers was rigging the election, saying they would not let them win the poll through “stamping”.


Polling process

Polling for by-poll in National Assembly constituency NA-240 began at 8am and continued till 5pm without any interruption.

The contestants include Muhammad Abu Bakar of MQM-P, Shahzada Shahbaz of Tehreek Labaik Pakistan, Shabir Ahmed Qaim Khani of PSP, Syed Rafiuddin of Mohajir Qaumi Movement, Nasir Rahim of PPP, Syed Faizan Anis of PML-N, and Tanveer Ahmed of Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA).

The PTI has boycotted the election while Jamaat-e-Islami is also not participating in the election.

The total number of registered voters in this constituency of the National Assembly is 529,855 of which 235,470 are female.

Security plan

More than 1,500 Karachi police officers and personnel were deployed during the election while special police contingents were also formed to deal with any emergency, especially at the polling stations declared sensitive and highly sensitive.

Karachi Police spokesperson told that there are 529,855 registered voters in this constituency. 309 polling stations have been set up in 133 buildings for the by-election.

According to the spokesperson, Sindh Rangers officers and men also performed security duties for the by-elections.

Express Tribune

 

[MenInG]

Swinging into action after directives from the ECP, Pakistan Rangers Sindh have arrested two people involved over charges of disturbing law and order during NA-240 Karachi by-polls, ARY News reported.

A person was killed after he was shot during the by-election in Karachi’s NA-240 constituency, while several others sustained wounds as violence marred the by-election.

In a targeted action, Rangers arrested two people associated with Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) from Landhi, sources said and added weapons have also been recovered from their custody.

 

[MenInG]

The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) has retained its National Assembly (NA-240) seat in Karachi by-poll by defeating rival Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) with a narrow margin of 65 votes.

According to unconfirmed and unofficial results of 309 polling stations, MQM-P candidate Muhammad Abu Bakar secured 10,683 votes while Shahzada Shahbaz of TLP came second with 10,618 votes.

Similarly, Mohajir Qaumi Movement (MQM) Syed Rafiud Din secured 8,383 votes, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) bagged 5,248 and Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP) bagged 4,794 votes in an election marred by violence.

According to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), voter turnout remained very low at 8.83 per cent partly due to the non-declaration of a public holiday in the constituency.

Polling began at 8am and continued till 5pm without any interruption.

Also read: One dead, several injured in clashes between rival political parties

However, after the polling concluded armed clashes broke out between political workers of rival parties — PSP, MQM-P and TLP.

The clashes left at least one dead and over a dozen injured while all political parties accused each other of opening fire and resorting to violence.

The total number of registered voters in this constituency of the National Assembly is 529,855 of which 235,470 are female.

The seat left vacant after the demise of MQM-P MNA Iqbal Muhammad Ali Khan.


Express Tribune

 

[MenInG]

Karachi police on Friday registered at least four cases against Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP) Chairman Mustafa Kamal and head of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), Saad Hussain Rizvi, and hundreds of their party activists under murder and terror charges, a day after violent clashes between the political parties during NA-240 by-elections.

One person was shot dead and 10 others were injured as violence erupted in Karachi on Thursday during the NA-240 (Korangi Karachi II) by-election, with competing political parties pointing fingers at each other.

The PSP had accused TLP workers of firing at its party chairman Syed Mustafa Kamal during a media talk.l, adding that the party's central leaders were also injured.

According to police, the party heads had been nominated in the FIRs for causing violence during the by-poll on Thursday. They said two of the cases were registered on complaints of presiding officers of the Election Commission of Pakistan while the remaining were filed on behalf of the state at Landhi and Korangi police stations.

“Police have detained 258 suspects including some security guards present during the violence,” a spokesperson of the Karachi police said.

Landhi police have registered a case against the PSP and the TLP chiefs and others over the killing of a man identified as Saifuddin, 65, on terror charges.

SHO Landhi Police Station, Mohammed Amin Mughal, in his complaint, said he was patrolling an area in Landhi when the clashes between the PSP and TLP workers erupted.

At 5pm, armed TLP workers led by Saad Rizvi came to Landhi no.6 area where the PSP workers were already gathered. "The TLP workers resorted to firing, resulting in the killing of a passerby and injuries to others."

He said the firing triggered panic and chaos in the area. "In the meantime, the PSP workers led by Mustafa Kamal also resorted to firing, causing injuries to some persons standing nearby who were later shifted to different hospitals."

Landhi police also registered another FIR on the complaint of ECP's presiding officer, Shahid Ali, against the PSP chief and over 50 people on terror and other charges.

The FIR said around 50 to 60 workers led by Kamal arrived at the polling station in Landhi no. 6 and roughed up the election staff and subjected him to verbal abuse.

They also tore apart election material and beat up people standing outside the police station and resorted to firing as well.m, according to the report.

In another FIR registered at the Landhi Police Station on the complaint of presiding officer Ghulam Hashim, around 400-500 PSP workers have been booked over terror and other charges.

The complainant said he was performing his duty at PS-51 in Landhi when around 400 to 500 PSP workers arrived there at 4:30pm.

“They beat me up and also thrashed other staff and tore apart election material,” said the PO, adding that it created fear. He said the violence caused by the PSP workers also halted the election process briefly.

The fourth FIR, registered at Korangi police station, on behalf of the state under sections 147 (rioting) and 149 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object) of the Pakistan Penal Code, stated that around 20 to 25 people armed with sticks arrived at a polling station in Korangi 2 ½ area and disrupted the election process. However, police detained five of them while others managed to flee from the spot.

DAWN

 

[daytrader]

First phase of LG polls: Voting underway in Sindh’s 14 districts

KARACHI: Voting is underway today (Sunday) for the first phase of local government elections in 14 districts from four divisions of Sindh.

The polling began at 8am and will continue until 5pm without any pause.

The 14 districts of Sindh include Larkana, Kambar-Shahdadkot, Shikarpur, Jacobabad, Kashmore, Sukkur, Ghotki, Khairpur, Naushehro Feroze, Shaheed Benazirabad, Sanghar, Mirpurkhas, Umerkot and Tharparkar.

At least 21,298 candidates are in the field against 6,277 seats of 101 town committees, 23 municipal committees, 14 districts councils, four municipal corporations, eleven town municipal corporations and 887 union councils and union committees.

The election commission has established 9,023 polling stations, including 1,895 for women, to facilitate over 11 million registered voters.

According to a spokesperson of the Election Commission of Pakistan, Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja is monitoring the polling process in the province.

Meanwhile, monitoring cells have been established in Islamabad and at the office of the Sindh election commissioner to ensure transparent elections, the spokesperson added.

In addition to this, at least 1,985 polling stations have been declared highly sensitive and 3,448 sensitive. Paramilitary Rangers and police have been deployed at 2,980 highly sensitive polling stations across the province.

CCTV cameras have been installed at the most sensitive polling stations.



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