KARACHI, Oct 10: Polling remained suspended for two hours at one of the NA-257 polling stations in Malir’s Liaquat Market, after the polling station was allegedly taken over by outsiders.
Moreover, election irregularities, including non-observance of secrecy of ballot, were witnessed at a few other polling stations in Malir-Khokhrapar.
However, smooth and uninterrupted polling continued at the polling stations at the Govt Degree College for Men Saudabad and the Saudabad Girls College.
Witnesses said the police played silent spectators as outsiders entered the polling booths for men and women and started casting bogus votes at the Liaquat Market’s Government Agro-Technical Boys Secondary School (GBSS-1) polling booths No 2, 5, 6, 7. Here only women polling agents were present who could not protest effectively.
Polling remained suspended since 3pm and stuffing continued at the women’s polling booths. There was a hue and cry from the women in protest against the bogus polling.
Witnesses said that the iron-gates of the veranda of the school were closed by youths in the presence of police and private security men, and the voters were not allowed to caste votes.
A polling officer at booth No 6 said that in book No 01702 all votes were genuine till ballot paper No 119; after that bogus voting started.
At the Govt Boys Secondary School Mujahid Colony polling station, no curtains were arranged for the voters to cast their votes in secrecy. This agitated a number of voters who lodged a protest with the presiding officer.
The officials said that they were not able to arrange for the curtains as they had not been provided to them.
Reports were also received about insufficient polling material dispatched to the presiding officers who later had to purchase stationery from the market.
Another thing which agitated the people was that the polling staff of the same locality were assigned election duties in the same constituency. This happened in Malir-Khokhrapar where the polling staff reportedly remained under the influence of area activists.
