• Over 690,000 to cast their vote in five divisions
• JI fears rigging, demands Rangers’ deployment at polling stations

KARACHI: More than half a million registered voters would exercise their right to franchise on Sunday (May 7) in the by-election for the remaining seats of local government institutions in five divisions of Sindh.

A meeting to review the arrangements for the polling was held here on Thursday with Chief Secretary Dr Muhammad Suhail Rajput in the chair. It was attended by Provincial Election Commissioner Aijaz Anwar Chauhan, Additional IG Karachi Javed Alam Odho, the secretary school education and divisional commissioner, besi­des the deputy commissioners of the districts concerned.

The meeting was informed 292 polling stations across the province had been declared ‘highly sensitive’ in terms of security.

“At the meeting, the chief secretary said that the Sindh government was completing the arrangements regarding the by-elections in the province,” said a statement issued after the meeting. The CS directed all deputy commissioners to ensure availability all missing facilities at the polling stations.

He informed the meeting that 690,295 people would exercise their right to franchise on May 7 in Karachi, Hyderabad, Sukkur, Shaheed Benazirabad and Larkana divisions.

The meeting was told that CCTV cameras would be installed at 292 ‘highly-sensitive’ out of the total 449 polling stations in the province.

JI demands deployment of Ran­gers

Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) has demanded deployment of Rangers personnel in and outside polling stations, particularly in Karachi, to ensure peace and transparency in the process.

In a letter to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), JI’s Karachi chapter termed the May 7 elections “crucial”, and said there were strong apprehensions among the contesting parties that both district and security administrations could be used by the ruling party to influence the process.

JI Karachi chief Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman has already expressed his fear that the May 7 elections “could be rigged by the ruling party to establish its fake majority”. He urged the ECP to play its due role in ensuring peaceful and transparent election process.

“Progress and development in Karachi is associated with the victory of Jamaat-i-Islami in the by-election for the 11 remaining UCs,” he said while addressing a motorcycle rally held in New Karachi. By-election in this area is being held in three UCs.

“Our party has already proved its strongest position against all rivals in the Jan 15 local government elections in the city despite undemocratic practices and fascist tactics employed by the Pakistan People Party government in Sindh,” he said, adding that the May 7 elections are, therefore, crucial for us to seal our majority by ensuring free and fair voting process.

“For this, we demand deployment of Rangers personnel at polling stations so that any attempt to rig the election or create a law and order situation could be avoided,” he said.

Published in Dawn, May 5th, 2023