February 19, 2008	Tuesday	Safar 11, 1429

KARACHI, Feb 18: A shockingly low turnout in most parts of the city and denial of right to franchise even to renowned social worker Abdul Sattar Edhi has given rise to many questions about Monday’s vote.

Due to repeatedly harped fear factor by the government and analysts, city roads were almost deserted and gave a curfew-like look as a very slim turnout was witnessed by this reporter during a survey of parts of the city. Public and even private vehicles were off the roads, thereby immobilizing the prospective voters.

The fear factor and absence of public transport also exposed the inability of the opposition political parties to bring voters to polling stations. It also pointed to the shrewd tactics used by the pro-establishment elements to prevent the Pakistan People’s Party from capitalizing on the sympathy vote.

The turnout was nevertheless sizeable in Lyari, Keamari and Kharadar, where the majority belonged to the PPP. The huge turnout in Lyari and the adjoining areas, mostly of PPP followers, definitely represented the pro-Bhutto swing vote. They were committed Benazir Bhutto voters who cursed the present dispensation for her assassination, terrorism and extremism, unemployment, price hike, etc.

Abdul Sattar Edhi told a TV channel that he was not allowed to vote because he could not find his name in the voters list. He said his name had been in the list in the past and he was surprised to find out that it had been deleted. He alleged that those responsible for holding polls maintained that he was not a Pakistani and his national ID card was also questionable. Mr Edhi said he was not only a Pakistani national but always carried his national ID card and other travel documents.

The pro-establishment candidates grabbed as many number of vehicles as possible so that the opponents could not transport his or her voters. Hundreds of vehicles were parked outside and around the election office of an independent candidate in Defence but there were hardly any voters.

Due to the non-availability of inkpads in the Asso Goth maternity home, polling had to be delayed in NA-257 and PS 127. There were also complaints that the polling station designated at the Crescent School was changed last night for NA-253 and PS 126. A polling station in the Pir Bux Goth High School in Malir was found locked from outside at around 11am. PPP supporters were protesting and chanting anti-government slogans there.

In Gulshan-i-Hadeed, NA-258 and PS-130, polling stations were changed from E Complex to Filter Plant and polling lists were also allegedly altered, and their many parts were missing. The Filter Plant polling station was transferred to Port Qasim which caused difficulties for the voters.

In NA-257 and PS-127 only two votes had been cast at the Mohammadi School polling station for women in Malir. But at Shah Lateef Town’s Basera Square and Workers School, there was a good turnout.

There were also complaints of changing of police officials posted at certain polling stations a few hours before the poll. Quaidabad SHO Hazoor Baksh was replaced by Bashir on Sunday. The PIB police station SHO was also changed, so was the Sachal SHO.

An alarming situation was, however, witnessed in two other constituencies in the defunct District South’s NA 249 and NA-250, where activists of the PPP and the MQM exchanged fire, halting the polling for hours.

Unusual rush

A comparative survey of the NA 248, NA 249, NA 250 and NA 251 constituencies showed an unusual rush at different polling stations in NA 248, which includes PS108 and PS-109.

Polling was held in a peaceful manner, as it has been the safest constituency for the Bhuttos facing no opponents, while PPP dissident Shakoor Shad from the same seat hardly made any impact.

Lyari wore a festive look as women, children and elders were enthusiastically involved in polling. Election staff and polling agents as well as voters seemed to be involved in the activity.Lyari, where about 70 per cent turnout was witnessed, was in total contrast to other parts of the city, as in other parts of District South the pace of voting remained pathetically slow in the early hours.

Shopping centres, markets and vegetable markets were open in the city though a public holiday had been announced by the government.

PPP supporters said the PPP would not only win the Lyari seat, it would be in a position to give a clean sweep to other political opponents if the elections were held in a fair manner.

The Asumal Ojha School, which housed four polling stations with each polling station having 3,000 male and female voters, was jam-packed till 1pm. The presiding officers were worried about how to manage voters who were eager to cast their ballots. The other polling stations in Agra Taj Colony, Nawabad, Kalri, Kalakot, Rexer Lane, Khadda, Hanif Manzil, Mir Ayub School, Baghdadi and other areas too showed a similar momentum, as the emotionally-charged PPP workers were chanting slogans for Benazir Bhutto and against President Musharraf.

NA 249

In the safest seat of the MQM, from where its leader Dr Farooq Sattar has thrice returned to the national assembly and twice to the provincial assembly, firing dominated the day and polling at various stations remained suspended for hours.

In the Eidgah maternity hospital, a scuffle broke out between PPP and MQM supporters. Windowpanes were shattered and a ballot box was torn up. MQM PS candidate Shoib Ahmed accused PPP candidate Habib Jan of creating law and order situation there.

Later a large number of law-enforcement men were deployed along with Rangers mobiles, who took control of the area. A curfew-like situation prevailed all around the area.

NA 250

The law and order situation in the national assembly NA-250 constituency had been highly volatile since Sunday night as supporter of independent candidate Captain Haleem Siddiqui were brutally beaten up in the small hours of Monday and his car was smashed at Burnes Road.

As the day of polling start, usually a congested place, wore a deserted look, as fear and harassment loomed large in the entire locality.

In the Government College for Women, Shahrah-i-Liaquat, media people were stopped by MQM PS candidate Muqeem Alam, who asked the law-enforcement agencies and election commission officials that journalists were not allowed in. It resulted in an exchange of hot words between the candidate and election commission officials.

The polling in this college started late due to the late arrival of polling agents. No other than MQM polling agents were present in the college. The D. J. Government Science College presented a similar situation as the lack of proper arrangement delayed the polling and even the polling agents turned up late.

Polling in these two colleges was slow as people avoided coming out due to the tense situation that prevailed since Sunday night.