Disrespect to Voters’ Rights in Karachi
In Karachi, major political parties rejected the outcomes of the February 8 polls. Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, Jamaat-i-Islami, Grand Democratic Alliance, and Tehreek Labbaik Pakistan, among others, called for both the ECP (Election Commission of Pakistan) and judiciary to address what they viewed as a serious violation of the Constitution, warning of potential political instability and chaos in the country.
They attributed the perceived failure of the ECP to ensure fair elections, resulting in what they termed as a ‘rigged, manipulated, and engineered’ outcome. Criticism was also directed at the ECP for the unusual delay in announcing the results.
It is to be noted that up until February 8, as the votes were being tallied, it was abundantly clear that JI and PTI Independents held a commanding majority. However, to the surprise of many, Karachi was left reeling as MQM emerged victorious in several seats. The sudden turn of events left many questioning the integrity of the election process and the role of the establishment in shaping the outcome.
J.I termed the election as mockery of democracy
Hafiz Naeemur Rehman, the head of Jamaat-i-Islami in Karachi, was the first to denounce the February 8 elections as a ‘miserable failure’ on the part of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). He urged the ECP to rectify the situation it had caused and announced plans to lead a protest campaign against the perceived rigged results, including staging a sit-in to protest what he called an ‘insult to the people’s mandate.’
Speaking at a press conference held at the Idara Noor-i-Haq headquarters, he stated, “The Election Commission has failed miserably in conducting free and fair elections.” PTI-Karachi also criticized the election results, labeling them as a ‘mockery of democracy.’
Rehman vowed to expand the protest efforts nationwide and demanded an explanation from the ECP for repeatedly violating the public’s mandate. He questioned the purpose of the costly election exercise, totaling Rs48 billion, if the ECP would simply announce results at its own discretion.
Highlighting discrepancies, Rehman noted that the ECP had initially promised to release Forms 45 and 46 on the polling day evening, but they were only issued on Friday. He cited examples such as the significant disparity in votes between a provincial seat and its connected National Assembly seat, as well as discrepancies in reported votes for JI and PTI-backed independent candidates compared to official announcements versus Forms 45 and 46.
GDA rejects the results
The Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) has outrightly rejected the election results and has pledged to respond strongly, exercising its democratic rights after consulting with party leadership.
In a statement, the GDA also accused the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) of intentionally disregarding complaints and violating the code of conduct to favor a particular party.
“From Karachi to Kashmore, and from Hyderabad to Ghotki, these fraudulent and manipulated elections have once again cast doubt on the future of Pakistan’s democracy,” the statement read.
“The nation has been misled, and the people of Sindh have been neglected once again. This is a clear failure on the part of both the Election Commission and the caretaker government. It seems that everyone is protecting the corrupt system and benefiting from it. We urge our supporters to remain peaceful and await further instructions for protest from the leadership.”
PTI said it is insult of voters
The PTI, despite being denied its election symbol, the bat, and instead fielding its workers as independent candidates across Karachi and other regions of Sindh, condemned the results as ‘absurd, disgraceful, and a mockery of democracy.’
In a concise statement, the party’s Karachi chapter expressed dismay that independent candidates who had been leading until midnight lost in the final results announced on Friday evening.
“In five out of the city’s seven districts—Central, East, Malir, Keamari, and South—our candidates had achieved significant victories in both National Assembly and Provincial Assembly seats. Our workers were jubilant after compiling results from Form-45 received from all polling stations. However, upon the announcement of the final results, all independent candidates were declared defeated.”
The party emphasized that this outcome was a slight to the voters and would only serve to undermine democracy and disillusion young people.
Other Parties
The Central Muslim League and TLP also refused to accept the results and raised concerns about the performance of both the ECP and the caretaker government, stating that both entities had ‘failed’ to guarantee a free polling process and fair vote counting.