KARACHI: After Murtaza Wahab was chosen as Karachi’s mayor, defeating JI’s Hafiz Naeem Ur Rehman, PPP and Jamat-e-Islami (JI) workers fought outside the Arts Council, which was designated a polling place for the mayoral election.
The PPP leader received 173 votes, while the head of the JI in Karachi received 160 votes, according to the results. The outcome of the election for deputy mayor was also the same, with Salman Abdullah of the PPP winning and Saifuddin of the JI coming in second.
The JI — who had the backing of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) — had already announced that it would resist any attempts to influence the results and alleged that the PPP had “abducted” PTI’s union committee chairmen to “rig the polls”, a claim that the ruling party vehemently denied.
As a result of the clashes, the road leading from the city’s Shaheen Complex to MR Kiyani Road was blocked. Vehicles parked there were damaged while a person was injured, and some party workers were arrested.
The workers of the rival parties were separated by law enforcers prior to the elections, but they were not enough to keep them calm as they soon clashed after the results were announced.
Sindh Election Commissioner Ijaz Anwar warned that action would be taken against all who try to interrupt the peaceful polling, as Rangers have been directed to arrest all those who resort to violence.
The mayoral contest was between Wahab and Rehman, as all the other candidates had withdrawn their nomination papers. The respective deputy mayor candidates of the PPP and JI are Salman Abdullah Murad and Saifuddin.
According to the entry register, 303 elected members reached the polling station and 33 remained absent. Three elected members of PTI — who were arrested following the May 9 mayhem — were brought in an armoured personnel carrier.
The PPP is the largest party in the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation City Council, with 155 seats. The party also secured the support of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, but their combined strength was short of a simple majority to have their mayor elected.
The second and third largest parties in the city council are the JI and PTI, with 130 and 63 seats, respectively. As the PTI has supported the JI, their combined votes appeared to be 193, which was more than the simple majority in the house of 367 members.
However, a forward bloc emerged within the PTI, and they abstained from voting, remaining absent during the polling.
As a result, Naeem secured 160 votes, while Wahab emerged victorious with 173.
