KARACHI: PPP demands re-election

Published October 19, 2002

KARACHI, Oct 18: A large number of women held a demonstration on Friday alleging that the results from NA-239 were changed under a pre-planned strategy.

The leaders of the demo, organized by the Pakistan People’s Party at the Press Club, said that as part of the pre-poll rigging, a large number of polling stations for women in the constituency had been set up some 15 to 20 miles away from where the voters lived.

They said that some of the polling stations had even been set up in remote areas which were not connected through roads.

They pointed out that though the election commission and the returning officer concerned had been approached many weeks back, no action had been taken to redress the grievances.

They demanded that re-election be conducted on the polling stations which had been set up in remote areas, and for which the residents had requested the elections commission in writing for relocation to where the voters could easily cast their votes.

The demonstrators belonged to Baba Bhit Island, Salehabad, Manora, Kaka Village, Sandspit, Younisabad, Hassan Goth, Soomar Goth, Shamspir Island, Bhutta village, Keamari, Gabopat, Muwachh Goth, Naval Colony and Islamnagar.

They were led by Bibi Jamila Baloch, Zahida Baloch, Fatima Bibi, Zeenat Bibi and others.