PTI rejects LG Polls, demands re-election in Sindh

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)  rejected the recently held local government polls in Karachi and Hyderabad divisions over alleged rigging and demanded the resignation of members of the electoral body.

PTI Secretary General Asad Umar while addressing a press conference on Thursday, said that the second phase of LG polls should be declared null and void, in which the PPP emerged victorious, and demanded fresh elections in Sindh.

Asad Umar alleged that the rigging started on the morning of the election day as a video posted on social media showed election staff stamping ballot papers.

He further claimed balloting material was also sent to some polling stations with delay.

“We will not accept the elections in any way,” Asad Umar said, adding that the LG polls were delayed several times as the PDM wanted to steal the mandate.

“A dangerous game was played in Karachi,” he added.

The PPP has won the majority of seats in Karachi, Hyderabad, and other parts of Sindh in the second phase of the LG election.

In Karachi, PPP secured 93 seats followed by the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) with 86 seats and the PTI with 40 as the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) released the consolidated results of the 235 union councils in Karachi division.

A day earlier, workers of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the PTI clashed outside the office of the Keamari deputy returning officer (DRO) following the controversial results of the LG elections.

The PTI staged a protest against the results outside the Keamari DRO s office and it was joined by the party’s provincial bigwigs Khurram Sher Zaman and Syed Ali Zaidi.

The workers pelted each other with stones resulting in injuries to police personnel and four journalists covering the incident.

The agitators also broke the windowpanes of the DRO’s office. Syed Ali Zaidi said he was also injured in the clash.