KARACHI - Pakistan People's Party (PPP) candidate Saeed Ghani has emerged victorious in PS-114 Karachi by-poll, by bagging 23,840 votes.

According to the unofficial results, issued by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), Kamran Tessori of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) received 18,106 votes, PML-N's candidate in the constituency Ali Akbar Gujjar received 5,353 votes, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI)'s Najeed Haroon received 5,098 votes whereas Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) candidate Zahir Jadoon got 1,661 votes.

The seat fell vacant after the Supreme Court declared PML-N MPA Irfanullah Marwat’s victory void.

Earlier on the day, the overall polling process that started at 8am and concluded at 5pm, remained peaceful, barring few minor clashes reported from various polling stations of the constituency while the law enforcers arrested three political workers involved in clashes and three more for casting bogus votes.

Although around 27 candidates were in the field, the main contenders were PPP Senator Saeed Ghani, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) Muhammad Najeeb Haroon and Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan’s (MQM-P) Kamran Tessori.

PML-N had fielded its provincial information secretary Ali Akbar Gujjar while Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) had given the ticket to Zahoor Ahmed Jadoon.

According to the statistics of the ECP, there are total 193,000 registered voters in the constituency. The commission had established 92 polling stations in the constituency that covers localities of Mehmoodabad No 1 to Mehmoodabad No 6, Chanesar Goth, Manzoor Colony, Akhter Colony, Azam Basti, Kashmir Colony, Defence View and the Karachi Administration Employees Cooperative Housing Society (KAECHS).

Furthermore, about 2,000 police and Rangers personnel were deployed in and around the polling stations to ensure smooth polling. During the polling, few clashes were reported from Chanesar Goth, while rest of the process went smoothly.

People turned out in large numbers to cast their votes. They were more enthusiastic this time than 2013 elections. Polling at Akhter Colony, KAECHS and Defence View was delayed due to lack of proper arrangements.

A polling station in Chanesar Goth, set up at Government Boys Secondary School, remained in the limelight as Sindh Rangers DG, provincial election commissioner, and leaders of MQM, PTI, JI, PPP and other parties visited it.

Political workers kept raising slogans against each other outside the polling station and also attempted to enter the polling station’s premises.

Sensing gravity of the situation, the personnel of law enforcement agencies rushed to the spot and calmed down the workers. Rangers personnel took control of the polling station and the polling was resumed.

Rangers Director General Major General Muhmmad Saeed visited various polling station of the constituency and expressed satisfaction on the security arrangement.

Talking to media men at polling station of Chanesar Goth where the clash took place between two political parties’ workers, the DG said that: “It is good sign that people have come out to cast their votes without any fear and Rangers personnel will remain at polling stations in PS-114 constituency until polling ends.”

He informed that Rangers personnel were directed to search every voter, candidate and agents. He also urged the people to register complaints pertaining to rigging or election process. He stressed that the overall situation was under control as clashes were reported from just one out of the 92 polling stations. “Only two people were arrested from the constituency, one of whom had a 9mm pistol on him,” he said.

GHANI ACCUSES RANGERS OF HINDERING VOTING PROCESS

PPP winning candidate Saeed Ghani accused Rangers of hindering the voting process in the constituency.

Talking to the media men, Ghani said that voters were not allowed to enter in the polling booth and claimed that paramilitary force of Rangers were creating hurdles in the voting process. I was refused to enter the polling station despite of having an ECP letter, said Ghani adding that state institutions should make election peacefully instead of creating hurdles in the polling process.

PARTIES BLAME EACH OTHER FOR RIGGING

Amid the allegation of the rigging the polling in provincial assembly constituency concluded peacefully. Representatives of political parties alleged each other for rigging.

MQM-P Dr Farooq Sattar talking to the media men outside the Chanesar Goth polling station alleged that party chief polling agent was tortured at polling station as he pointed out the rigging.

MQM deputy convener Amir Khan claimed that his party supporters were tortured and harassed by ruling party workers under the patronage of Sindh government. The people those were narrating the stories about the closing stages of MQM-P were living in fool paradise.

MQM, PPP and PML-N jointly carried out rigging, claimed PTI leaders Asad Umer, Imran Ismail, Haleem Adil Shiekh and PTI candidate Najeeb Haroon while talking to the media men after visiting the party camps of the constituency.

They alleged that PPP disturbed the polling process to mark its victory and irrelevant people were allowed to enter in polling station of Chanesar Goth. PTI leader said that Rangers performed their duties significantly but it was regrettable that provincial election commission failed to play its due role and take notice of the complains.

Jamaat-e-Islami‘s candidate Zahoor Jaddon after casting his vote at Jamia Islamia School polling station No 35, told the media men that MQM-P and PPP highjacked the polling process and both parties workers also harassed the JI voters.

PML-N Provincial Information Sectary said that Rangers made special security arrangements for the by-poll but it was unfortunate that members of corruption and extortion mafias tried to highjack the polling process.