-PTI candidate Mahmood Maulvi bagged over 29,000 votes while Moid Anwar secures 13,193 votes
-In 2018, PTI’s Aamir Liaquat beat Sattar after securing 56,673 votes
From Zeeshan Mirza
KARACHI: Thirteen ally parties of the ruling coalition have dealt a major blow after Pakistan Tehreek-e- Insaf (PTI) emerged victorious in the NA-245 Karachi by-election with a huge margin on Sunday.
As per unofficial results of all 263 polling stations, PTI candidate Mahmood Maulvi bagged 29,475 votes against MQM-Pakistan’s (MQM-P) Moid Anwar, who managed to secure 13,193 votes.
TLP’s Muhammed Ahmed Raza stood 3rd with 9,836 votes while Farooq Sattar, who contested as an independent candidate, secured only 3,479 votes. MQM-H candidate Muhammad Shahid remained last with 1,117 votes.
The NA-245 seat fell vacant after the death of Dr. Aamir Liaquat Hussian in June this year. In the 2018 General Election, Liaquat defeated Dr. Farooq Sattar by securing 56,673 votes.
Polling began at 8am and continued uninterrupted till 5pm in the constituency. After 5pm, only those voters who were inside the polling stations were allowed to cast their votes.
A total of 17 candidates contested the by-election from the National Assembly constituency 245. 263 polling stations had been set up for the by-election, of which 60 polling stations were declared sensitive and 203 most sensitive.
Strict security measures had been put in place for maintaining the law and order situation during the polling in Karachi’s NA-245.
The constituency comprises Jamshed Quarters, Pakistan Quarters, Martin Quarters, PECHS, Lines Area, Soldier Bazaar, New Town, Patel Para, Garden West, Martin Quarters, Teen Hatti, PIB Colony, etc. As many as 166,869 votes were cast in this constituency.
Urging the public to exercise their democratic right to vote without any fear, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja directed to ensure transparency and maintain peace at all costs during the ongoing polling process in Karachi’s NA-245 constituency.
“Riots and interference in the polling process will not be tolerated,” the CEC said and warned of swift action against violations of the law.
He directed the police and law enforcement agencies to remain alert and apprehend those who try to create unrest inside a polling station. Indiscriminate and swift action will be taken against each incident of the violation of law, he vowed.
The CEC urged the public not to believe in rumours and contact the ECP’s provincial and central control rooms for verified information and to lodge their complaints.
A strict security plan was chalked out to maintain law and order during polling, according to the ECP. Additional Inspector General of Police Karachi Javed Alam Odho said that paratroopers are standing guard at the polling stations besides the police.
The police official said no political leader will be allowed to have a private gunman. There are CCTV cameras at highly sensitive polling stations, he said.
The Former Prime Minister and PTI Chairman Imran Khan on Sunday urged voters to immediately go to polling stations in NA-245 to cast their votes amid reports of low turnout in the constituency.
Taking to Twitter, while voting process was underway, Khan said that they are on their way to winning Karachi NA-245 by-election. “Our camps are full of voters while opposition camps are empty,” he said. “I am asking all our voters to go immediately to vote if they haven’t already done so,” Imran Khan added.
The by-election was originally scheduled to be held on July 27, however, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) postponed it due to torrential rains in the metropolis.
