ECP vows to take 'strict action' against stamped ballot papers found in Karachi

The Election Commission of Pakistan on Monday assured that strict action will be taken on the alleged recovery of some ballot papers from a garbage dump in Karachi, and directed Sindh's election commissioner and concerning polling staff to submit a detailed report on the matter.

On Saturday, three days after the general elections were held across the country, around a dozen ballot papers were found from a garbage dump near Qayyumabad area of Karachi.

The ballot papers were reportedly stamped to favour the PPP candidate from the NA-241 constituency, Moazzam Ali Qureshi, thus fuelling suspicion among the contesting parties over the electoral process.

The ECP took notice of the incident on Monday, with its spokesperson telling the media: "The ECP has decided to take strict action on this matter. The commission has asked the provincial election commissioner, the concerned district returning officer (DRO) and returning officer (RO) to submit a detailed report."

The day the papers were found, Qureshi had approached police for registering an FIR. The police, however, had advised the candidate to approach the concerned DRO to look into the matter and initiate a proper inquiry.

ELECTIONS 2018

Pakistan

Stamped ballot papers recovered from garbage dump in Karachi's Qayyumabad

6 polling officers arrested for tampering with ballot papers in Sehwan

Detention of five PPP men with ‘ballot papers’ triggers controversy in Umerkot

Indian perspective

Jul 30, 2018 12:14pm

Too late, the needle of suspicion has been pricked!

Recommend 0

Pakistan

Jul 30, 2018 12:18pm

I am sure, you will find MQM and PPP behind this incident...

Recommend 0

Owais

Jul 30, 2018 12:27pm

What a load of rubbish. Anyone can now print a ballot paper lookalike and claim foul play. All this is being done to undermine the election results.

Recommend 0

Owais

Jul 30, 2018 12:29pm

@Indian perspective indeed, your pawns have lost, so you will show every possible seed of discord that you possibly can. You may get a 100 modi's, but our 1 Imran Khan is enough to bin all your conspiracies.

Recommend 0

Simple Logic

Jul 30, 2018 12:41pm

@Pakistan Papers were stamped in favour of the PPP candidate so how can PPP be responsible ?

Recommend 0

Sameer

Jul 30, 2018 01:05pm

Forensic audit of the papers will reveal lots of things.

Recommend 0

Khalil

Jul 30, 2018 01:50pm

6 papers only. Concerning but not headline news. would hardly make a difference to any candidate.

Recommend 0

khan

Jul 30, 2018 02:50pm

My one question from ECP. Why the results carriers not finding the ECP office after leaving polling stations for 3 days since?

Recommend 0

Shahid

Jul 30, 2018 03:02pm

To be investigated through reconciling the record and with the help of CCTV.The election process in Quayumabaad was not very efficient.Unless some verifiable proof are not given one can assume that few voters have managed to pocket the actual ballot paper after stamping.This looked possible because I cast my vote in Quaymabad.

Recommend 0

Arney

Jul 30, 2018 03:19pm

@Simple Logic Probably, to get this exact reaction so no one suspects them of any wrongdoing, and at the same time to incorrectly highlight that the whole process has been rigged.

Recommend 0

Lonesome Ranger

Jul 30, 2018 04:20pm

Surprisingly, it took the ballot papers three days to reach the garbage and stay there. No wind could carry them away! Foul play sensed here.

Recommend 0

Imad Qureshi

Jul 30, 2018 04:29pm

@Simple Logic your logic is not so simple. Ballot papers were likely fake which they wanted to cast in favor of PPP. When they didn't get a chance to cast these fake votes, they decided to "dump" these and not so surprisingly, find it themselves.

Recommend 0

PakistaniZindabad

Jul 30, 2018 05:13pm

@Simple Logic , but it is simple logic if we think who is benefiting from this incident, PTI would not trash it in public area, and if these are only ppp or mqm, these must have been thrown after separating and counting. With that said, I would say, there may be dhandli but extend is to give PTI a clear majority, they would have win anyway but now they can form government without compromising with theive like ppp, pmln and mqm

Recommend 0

Naeem

Jul 30, 2018 06:00pm

Why would anyone who is favoring the winning candidate would throw these papers on the street ??? This makes it highly suspicious and puts the blame on the losing parties to show that elections were not fair.....

Recommend 0

M. Saeed

Jul 30, 2018 06:45pm

Was the specially procured paper used in ballot papers with water mark checked ?

Recommend 0

Khan

Jul 30, 2018 08:39pm

Game is over. In next election new strategy will follow.

Recommend 0

Jjacky

Jul 30, 2018 09:43pm

@Pakistan how come the ballot papets were stolen from the very nose of election officers and army?. You mean to say ppp or mqm are more strong and intelligent than ur army. If yes, than its a very serious matter.

Recommend 0

spellbinder

Jul 31, 2018 12:56am

@Pakistan It simply shows the inefficiency of ECP which boils down to selection is not done on merit. EXCP made the election controversial as they are not trained for this job not they are intelligent enough.

Recommend 0

Alzameer

Jul 31, 2018 03:05am

@Pakistan yes rightly said. no person in their sense will vote for these thuggish mafia ppp. just shocked how they won so many seats in sindh

Recommend 0

Branded Content

28 years of McDonald’s Pakistan: celebrating the local partners behind the Golden Arches

The milestone highlighted the structural evolution of the company's local procurement model.

Etihad Town Sialkot delivers Possession ahead of time

The project was delivered within just 1.5 years against a 3-year payment plan, while commercial possession had already been handed over to customers in January 2026.