NA-237 Karachi by-poll: Video of PPP, PTI clash surfaces

KARACHI: A video showing clash between workers of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) during Karachi’s NA-237 by-election has surfaced, ARY News reported on Sunday.

In the video acquired by ARY News, it can be seen that PPP leaders started quarreling with the PTI workers and supporters.

The video showed PTI’s Bilal Ghaffar holding a conversation with the party workers outside the polling station. Later, PPP MPA Saleem Baloch and Chief Minister’s advisor Salman Murad arrived at the spot along with police protocol.

During the conversation, PPP MPA Saleem Baloch slapped a PTI worker and later clash erupted between the PTI and PPP workers. During the clash, PTI Karachi President Bilal Ghaffar was seriously injured.

The video shows Bilal Ghaffar bleeding and party workers pouring water on his head. It can be seen the PPP members fled the spot under police security after the violence.

It is pertinent to mention here that PPP candidate Abdul Hakeem Baloch defeated former prime minister Imran Khan in Karachi’s NA-237 Malir constituency.

PPP candidate obtained 32,567 votes while PTI chief Imran Khan stood second with 22,493 votes, as per unofficial and unconfirmed results from all 194 polling stations.

Later, the Imran Khan-led party challenged the results and sought repolling. However, the Sindh High Court (SHC) turned down the plea.

At the outset of the hearing, Sindh High Court (SHC) Chief Justice (CJ) Justice Ahmed Ali Shaikh directed the petitioner to approach election tribunal as the matter did not fall under its jurisdiction.