KARACHI: Situation remained tense in Lines Area where electioneering for PS-115 by-polls witnessed violence for which the two contesting parties — Muttahida Qaumi Movement and Mohajir Qaumi Movement better known as Haqiqi — blamed each other on Monday.

In the early hours of Monday morning, a group of youngsters attacked an MQM election office in UC-11 and ransacked its furniture when party workers were out electioneering, said Brigade SHO Inspector Akbar Hameed.

“The MQM leaders approached the police for an FIR [68/2016] on a complaint of MQM worker Faisal Rafiq which we registered against the local leaders of the Haqiqi,” he said.

“Then the Haqiqi guys came up with a complaint that they had been attacked by MQM workers and their banners in the area had been torn apart. Another FIR [69/2016] was registered on a complaint of Haqiqi’s candidate Jameel Qadri against area leaders and workers of the MQM,” the inspector said.

Meanwhile, the MQM coordination committee condemned the ransacking and torching of one of its election offices in Lines Area by “Haqiqi terrorists” on Sunday night.

In a statement issued on Monday, the MQM said that the armed terrorists initially attacked a rally in North Nazimabad and then they set fire to an election office, as they wanted to restrain area people from exercising their right to vote in the favour of MQM candidates contesting by-elections on NA-245 and PS-115.

It appealed to the chief election commissioner and Chief Justice of Pakistan to take notice of the incident and ensure peaceful holding of the election.

Published in Dawn, April 5th, 2016