Karachi: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) on Friday announced that it would boycott the re-polling at 43 polling stations of the National Assembly constituency 250. MQM's senior leader Reza Haroon told a press conference that the decision to boycott the re-polling was taken by the party high command as it was clear that efforts were made to snatch the party's mandate in Karachi.
Earlier in the day, the Election Commission of Pakistan rejected the MQM plea to hold re-polling in all stations of the NA-250. The poll panel said re-polling would only be held at 43 stations where voting was stopped by it following complaints of rigging and late opening of stations during the May 11, 2013 general elections. Besides, the Election Commission decided that military personnel would be deployed both inside and outside the polling stations during re-polling. The Commission had held a meeting with leaders of the MQM, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf and Sindh government officials earlier in the day.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf leader Arif Alvi told the media that they wanted re-polling across Karachi not just in NA-250. According to him, polling conducted in the city of Karachi was not free and fair and referred to video evidence of rigging aired on different television channels. "Our stance is that, free and fair elections are key for the success of Pakistan" he said. The NA-250 constituency has become major flash point between the MQM and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf where the latter is said to have a very good chance of displacing the MQM.
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