ECP withholds PS-114 by-election result
The MQM requested the commission to order recounting of the votes of the entire constituency
July 13, 2017
ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan withheld on Thursday the notification of Karachi’s PS-114 by-election result, where Pakistan Peoples Party’s Saeed Ghani had proven to be victorious on June 9.
Following the announcement of the result, Muttahida Qaumi Movemement had challenged the result in the ECP alleging that the results were tampered.
The MQM has also requested the commission to order recounting of the votes of the entire constituency, the National Database and Registration Authority to verify thumb impressions of all votes.
Earlier, a ballot box was discovered in a private car in the city’s Mehmoodabad area on Wednesday, prompting MQM to reiterate claims that the PS-114 by-election was ‘rigged’.
An MQM spokesperson, in light of the latest development, reiterated the party’s claim that the July 9 by-election on a provincial assembly seat (PS-114) was “rigged”.
Speaking to the media outside ECP, MQM-Pakistan Head Farooq Sattar said that those in power had misused it to change the results of the general elections in 2013 too.
After 2013 elections, around 27 polling stations were identified were violence was used to tamper the electoral outcomes. “Conditions of those polling stations has stayed the same. Yet again, violence was used to tamper the results,” added Sattar.
“ECP should recount votes and take thumb impression so that people know who are the ones who got real votes, and who are those that cheated,” he said.
“During the by-elections difficulties were created for the voters. Now, all of those problems have been brought to the forefront,” he remarked, adding “we hope that we are given justice.”
Unofficial results
Pakistan People's Party (PPP) candidate Saeed Ghani has emerged victorious in PS-114 Karachi by-polls, by bagging 23,840 votes, unofficial and unconfirmed results from all 92 polling stations suggested.
Ghani was followed by Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan's Kamran Tessori, who secured 18,106 votes.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz's Ali Akbar Gujjar stood third in the run with 7,175 votes to his credit, while Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's Najeeb Haroon bagged 5,942 votes.
