Pakistanis brave violence to vote

Low voter-turnout and sporadic incidents of violence greeted election-day across Pakistan.

Delayed by over a month due to the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, and preceded by attacks on politicians and party workers, the day was met with lukewarm response from the general public.

According to officials, nine people, including a woman, were killed in different areas of the countries in election-related violence.

Empty streets and deserted polling stations were witnessed in Karachi, Pakistan's largest and most-populous city, as well.

Even though polling commenced at 9am, it was not until late afternoon that the majority of voters cast their votes. A number of stations visited in various localities of the city resulted in polling staff and security officials confirming a slow start and minimal interest.

However, with people staying away, an avid enactment of poll-rigging was witnessed and reported from all over the city.

There were numerous complaints that people arriving late in the afternoon had their votes cast already. Some, upon arrival at the stations, learnt that their names were missing from the electoral vote. While a few chose to head towards another nearby station to try their luck, majority of them were left fuming.

At one station in central Karachi, polling ceased well before the 5pm closing time due to 100 percent voter turnout. However, further investigation revealed that over 20 locals in that area had their vote "cast by someone else".

At one particular venue in Clifton, a southern Karachi area, officers allowed a woman to cast her vote despite her name not being present on the list. Staff at a polling station in Defence (Karachi) reported massive rigging due to the lack of security staff and the involvement of the election officers on-site.

In some northern areas of Pakistan, women voters were forced not to participate in the polls. An independent candidate tried to mark the ballot papers after snatching them from the voters in NA-74 constituency.

According to Geo News, a PPP candidate was arrested in Nazimabad (Karachi) after allegedly kidnapping a presiding officer at a polling station.

Despite the lack of interest by the public, workers of several parties provided pick and drop service to residents of their area in order to encourage voting.

Several MQM activists were seen in the city transporting women and the elderly to and from the polling stations. With PPP and MQM deemed as leading parties in Karachi, an active presence of party workers was witnessed on the streets and outside the polling stations for last-gasp luring of votes.

While MQM looks all set to sweep the city, PPP is well-placed for a healthy result across the province of Sind. PML-N has emerged as the leading party in Punjab over the years and the trend looks set to continue. In NWFP, the ANP looks set to benefit from JUI's decision to boycott the elections and may very well secure healthy numbers in Baluchistan as well.

For the National Assembly, however, the death of Benazir may well have placed PPP in a majority-securing position courtesy of sympathy votes.

© Faras Ghani 2008
Published in Asian News Feb 19, 2008