MQM candidate leads in NA-246 unofficial poll results

Published April 23, 2015
DawnNews screengrab shows unofficial and unconfirmed polling results of NA-246.
DawnNews screengrab shows unofficial and unconfirmed polling results of NA-246.
Man seen walking on main road of Ghareebabad while displaying his national identity card after rangers requested the citizens to carry their identity cards with them due to security reasons.— Online
Man seen walking on main road of Ghareebabad while displaying his national identity card after rangers requested the citizens to carry their identity cards with them due to security reasons.— Online
Rangers personnel patrolling NA-246 constituency of Karachi. — INP
Rangers personnel patrolling NA-246 constituency of Karachi. — INP
Worker seen busy in installing CCTV camera at a polling station for by-elections in NA-246 constituency of Karachi.— Online
Worker seen busy in installing CCTV camera at a polling station for by-elections in NA-246 constituency of Karachi.— Online
Ranger personnel  standing alert to avert any untoward incident at a polling station in Karachi's NA-246 constituency. — Online
Ranger personnel standing alert to avert any untoward incident at a polling station in Karachi's NA-246 constituency. — Online
Ranger person at Monitoring Cell looks at monitor displaying videos of CCTV cameras installed at polling stations for the bye-polls in NA-246 constituency of Karachi. — Online
Ranger person at Monitoring Cell looks at monitor displaying videos of CCTV cameras installed at polling stations for the bye-polls in NA-246 constituency of Karachi. — Online
Additional IG Sindh Ghulam Qadir Thebo during his visit to DC Office Central.— Online
Additional IG Sindh Ghulam Qadir Thebo during his visit to DC Office Central.— Online
DG Rangers Sindh Bilal Akber seen during his visit to a polling station of NA-246 constituency of Karachi.— Online
DG Rangers Sindh Bilal Akber seen during his visit to a polling station of NA-246 constituency of Karachi.— Online
Water cannon of police seen patrolling in the area of Ghareebabad which is declared sensitive due to NA-246 by-elections.— Online
Water cannon of police seen patrolling in the area of Ghareebabad which is declared sensitive due to NA-246 by-elections.— Online

KARACHI: The counting of votes started soon after the polling ended for the fiercely contested NA-246 by-election at 5pm, after a day of polling amid unprecedented security. Rangers personnel have been closely monitoring the counting process behind closed doors as no unauthorised person was allowed to enter the premises.

According to the unofficial and unconfirmed results obtained by DawnNews, MQM candidate Kunwar Naveed is leading with more than 14,000 votes followed by PTI’s Imran Ismail and Rashid Naseem of JI.

213 polling stations were set up with 769 polling booths housed in 55 buildings, for 357,861 registered voters. Around 2,556 policemen will provide security in the constituency, whereas Rangers personnel were also deployed at almost all polling stations.

Although 14 candidates are in the run, but the by-poll is largely a three-way contest between Kanwar Naveed Jameel of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), Imran Ismail of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and Rashid Naseem of the Jamaat-i-Islami (JI).

The involvement of MQM chief Altaf Hussain, PTI Chairman Imran Khan and JI Emir Sirajul Haq has turned what is just a simple by-election for one seat into an electoral battlefield of national importance.

Read: PTI, MQM workers clash again

The constituency is considered to be an MQM bastion because its headquarters Nine Zero is located there and the party had emerged victorious in all three previous general elections in 2002, 2008 and 2013 and in a by-election in May 2004. It comprises Federal B. Area, Federal Capital Area and parts of Liaquatabad.

The seat fell vacant after MQM’s Nabeel Gabol resigned from the National Assembly.

Also read: I witnessed poll rigging in NA-246: Nabeel Gabol

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