KARACHI, Feb 17: The city goes to the polls on Monday with fears of violence among voters, major contesting parties’ misgivings about fair elections and a question mark over the voters’ list after Karachiites got polling cards from different political parties which revealed astonishing mistakes in the list.
The election campaign ended late on Saturday night with appeals from every contenting party urging people to cast their vote. However, Sunday witnessed thin traffic and least movement of people mainly for security concerns suggesting a low turnout in the February 18 polls.
As the parties want people to cast off their fear, the authorities warn that a few parts of the city, which witnessed shootouts between contesting parties during election campaigns, may face a law and order breakdown.
“We want people to come out and use their right to vote for democratic stability and beat every conspiracy to derail the process,” said Dr Farooq Sattar, deputy convener of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, the most popular party in Karachi polls.
He said Monday’s elections were crucial and needed the voters’ support to counter the growing extremism and to build a soft image of the country. However, he agreed that the fear of violence could lead to a lower turnout than previous elections.
“However, we campaigned in the same manner as we did in the previous elections from 1988 to 2002. The MQM has succeeded in mobilising people in a big way to allay the fear of violence,” he added.
Dr Sattar’s assessment over polling day matched concerns of the Pakistan People’s Party, which was not satisfied with the administration’s attitude towards political parties during the campaign and had officially apprised the authorities of its feared outcome on Monday.
PPP allegations
“A total of 11 PPP candidates contesting from different constituencies for national and provincial assembly seats in Karachi were booked in false cases during the campaign at the behest of a particular element,” said Rashid Rabbani, the PPP’s Karachi president.
“Though they all are out on bail to contest elections, the one-sided action by the administration makes us feel justified in fearing the same attitude from the authorities on polling day.”
Mr Rabbani said the PPP wanted peace on Feb 18. He added that unlike previous polls, the party expected a major breakthrough in the 2008 Karachi polls after the assassination of Benazir Bhutto.
The PPP lost a couple of its workers during electioneering and in different clashes is pointing its accusing finger to the MQM for the deaths. However, the major coalition partner in the last government rejected the PPP accusation, terming it an effort to smear the party’s image.
The Awami National Party is another political force involved in clashes with the rival group during electioneering. The party, which lost its three workers, including its senior vice-president while campaigning, seems to be ignoring past experiences and persuading people to vote on Monday.
“We appeal to people to cast their votes,” said Shahi Syed, the ANP Sindh president. “We have no high expectations but still there are a few seats where we are in a stronger position than our rivals.”
However, he sounded concerned over peaceful execution of polling and urged the ANP workers to be calm and make every effort for peace within their ranks.
“Mainly in Pakhtun-dominated areas, we have asked our people to be peaceful and cooperate with Election Commission staff and media persons, and respect opposition parties’ workers,” added Mr Syed.
The concerned political parties and scared voters are likely to witness a lacklustre polling day on Monday, after warnings from the police authorities and the Election Commission to term some polling stations sensitive.
“Of the 3,800 polling stations in Karachi, some 876 are sensitive,” said a senior police official citing a recent assessment made in consultation with the Election Commission. “There is no fear as such of extraordinary violent activity but like every election, we have kept some constituencies under strict surveillance.”
He said 20,000 policemen would help maintain law and order on election day. He said parts of Banaras, Quaidabad, Gulistan-i-Jauhar, Baldia and Board Office (Nazimabad) were considered hyper sensitive.
“Police would be posted at every polling station but peace largely depends on the contesting parties’ conduct and their mood on polling day,” added the official.
Despite the concerns among political parties, the authorities appear confident about peace on Monday in line with their preparation for the big day. However, a large number of voters, who started receiving polling cards from political parties just a few days ago, lost their faith in the authenticity of the list prepared by the Election Commission.
The voters in some areas failed to find their names in the voters’ list available with the parties while some Karachiites got more than their due number of polling cards for their family members.
In the National Assembly’s constituency 253, a family of five which failed to get their names registered in the list, finally got polling cards from a political party, which suggested their votes on polling day.
“It’s really strange that one’s name can be listed just hours before elections,” said a Gulistan-i-Jauhar resident, though he chose not to disclose his name. “It shows serious flaws in the list or the process the parties are following.”
The situation also turned surprising for Mr Hussain in constituency 257 when he got a polling card from a political party for his four-year-old son, who was registered in the list as a 104-year-old man.
“When I visited the Election Commission’s website, I really found my son’s name their. The mystery doesn’t end here. Would you believe that his name has been registered twice. We got two cards from the party for his double votes on Monday.”
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