To protest against the delay in the announcement of results after the end of the local government elections’ second phase in Karachi and Hyderabad divisions, Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Karachi Emir Hafiz Naeem Ur Rehman Sunday directed the public to surround polling stations across the city as he made claims of rigging in the process.
Addressing a presser at the Idarah Noor-e-Haq, JI’s mayoral candidate said that it is the party’s constitutional, democratic, and legal right to be provided numbers of their election results.
However, the JI’s senior leader said Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja and the secretary of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) have issued clear orders to provide Forms 11 and 12, which are not being followed.
In response, Sindh government spokesperson Murtaza Wahab said JI and Rehman’s politics revolves around protests and sit-ins — explaining the party’s recent protests against the provincial administration.
“When the results started trickling in, the losers began their bid to escape,” the Sindh government spokesperson told Geo News via telephone.
“Till yesterday, Jamaat-e-Islami was calling on [the ECP and the government] to hold elections, but now, when the results are coming in, the party’s now talking about protests,” he said.
“Some of the Sindh government’s deputy commissioners are obstructing the release of results. If results are not announced within an hour, we will begin sit-ins across the city. People should start to encircle polling stations,” he said.
The JI chief stressed that while he would congratulate successful candidates in the local body polls and encourage those who have lost, the party won’t allow hijacking people’s mandate.
Commenting on his party’s position in the elections, Hafiz Naeem said: “I am wary of making big claims about the polls, but according to what the numbers are showing our position is good in District Central, District East, and District Korangi. These districts have approximately 125 union committees.”
He added that JI is also leading in several places across District East; in fact, it is also ahead in some areas in Keamari.
The party, as per the JI Karachi chief, also has a lead in some parts of Malir. “Based on these numbers, I can say that the JI, in almost all areas, is at the number one position,” the politician said.
