KARACHI – Polling process is underway for PS-127 Karachi (Malir) by-election, the Election Commission of Pakistan said on Thursday.
The Polling started at 8:ooam and will continue till 5:00pm without any formal interval.
For the by-election, there are total 20 candidates in the run. The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) has fielded former MPA Waseem Ahmed while the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Murtaza Baloch and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Nadeem Memon.
There are total 207,467 registers voters in the constituency, out of which as many as 91,355 are women. The ECP has established total 134 polling stations for smooth polling process. 66 Polling stations have been declared most sensitive and all of the remaining are marked as sensitive.
Heavy contingents of law enforcement agencies, including Sindh Rangers, have also been deployed inside and outside of every polling to maintain the law and order situation and ensure free and fair polling process.
The Rangers officials and the district returning officer (DRO) have also been given the magisterial powers for the polling day.
The seat fell vacant when former MPA Ashfaq Mangi quit the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) to join Mustafa Kamal-led Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP). He also resigned from the Sindh Assembly seat.
Observers say that a nail-biting contest is expected the Sindh Assembly seat as it typically belongs to the PPP, however, the MQM candidate won it with a huge margin in the 2013 General Elections. Meanwhile, PTI’s candidate also enjoys the support of Sindhi and Baloch ethnic groups, which could earn him massive support among the voters.
In the 2013 General Elections, MQM candidate Ashfaq Mangi was declared victorious with 59,811 votes. PPP’s Muhammad Ashraf Samoo remained second with 15,158 votes while PTI’s Syed Azhar received 13,818 votes.
