Polling for crucial Karachi LB elections ends

2.38pm – District Returning Officer was caught for appointing three persons among a contesting candidate as polling officer in Gulistan-e-Jauhar area. The police arrested all three persons and shifted them to police station for questioning.

2.15pm – At least six people were injured between supporters of independent candidates in Arafat Town.

1.57pm- MQM leader NAsreen Jalil has demanded of the Election Commission of Pakistan to declare election in Landhi as null and void. She said MQM workers were tortured in Landhi.

She called for holding LB polls in Landhi under army. The MQM leader said senior party representatives including Farooq Sattar was abused by rivals.

Rangers called in to control the law and order situation during #LBPolls2015 in #Karachi #LBPollsOnARY pic.twitter.com/dKKH9hiC1x

— ARY News (@ARYNEWSOFFICIAL) December 5, 2015

1.36pm – MQM camp office was attacked in Malir Shamsi society. Three women were reportedly injured. MQM leader Waseem Akhtar alleged that the attack was sponsored by PTI and JI to sabotage electoral process.   1.29pm – PPP and PTI workers indulged in a scuffle in Lyari’s Mira Naka area. Rangers immediately reached the spot and resorted to baton-charge to disperse the protesters.    

1.13pm – Inspector General Police Sindh Ghulam Haider Jamali has reached Landhi area to inspect security arrangements. 12.55pm – The paramilitary force has conducted door-to-door search in Lines Area following clash between MQM-H and MQM workers in the area. Sources told that at least 25 people were also rounded up during the search. 12.42pm – Rangers raided sector office MQM in Landhi area and arrested several activists. Senior MQM leaders including Rabita Committee members also reached the office, demanding release of their workers. 12.35pm – MQM leader Farooq Sattar has demanded arrest of Haqiqi workers involved in harrassing polling staff in different UCs including UCs 15, 16, 20 and 30. 12.21pm – A clash erupted between workers of PML-N and PPP in UC-29 of Gulzar-e-Hijri. Polling has also stopped following the clash.

Re-polling ordered in two UCs

12.14pm –  The election authorities have ordered re-polling in union councils of Karachi. The voting has been cancelled in UC 28, ward no.1 and UC.4 ward no.2 of District East due to misprinting of ballot papers. 12.08pm – Voters protested against delayed polling due to unavailability of polling material. The election material was despatched to the polling station in UC-27 Orangi after over four hours. 12.01pm – One person is reportedly injured in firing incident in UC-16, Orangi Town. Rangers and Police called in to the site. 11.53am – Unknown armed men resorted to aerial firing outside a polling station in Gulzar-e-Hijri area. 11.45am – Polling still couldn’t begin in UC-4, ward no.2 in Manghopir due to misprinting of ballot papers. 11.32am – Rangers, who also have magistrate powers, have awarded three months sentence to three fake polling agents each arrested earlier in a day. One of them belongs to a political party. They are identified as Shah Zaman, Ashraf alias Denter and Muhammad Hussain. Voter turnout till 11am   District East – 13%   District West – 12%   District South – 10%   District Central – 8% 11.16am – Commissioner Karachi Shoaib Ahmed Siddiqui has paid inspection visit to different polling stations in the city. He has urged voters to cast vote without any fear. PTI chairman appeals people to vote for PTI in Karachi

#MyVoteforPTI Fate of Khi lies in voters’ hands today. If you want to get rid of bhatta khors, mafias & corruption cast your vote for PTI — Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) December 5, 2015

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11.03am – Tension prevails in UC-15 and UC-17 of Landhi area after some virals uprooted camp of a political party.

10.45am – Some ‘Namaloom Afraad’ have thrashed a polling agent in UC-15, Landhi. The polling officer was identified as Abdullah.

10.36am – Rangers have arrested three fake political agents from Federal Urdu University.

10.32am – Posters of Afaq Ahmed were torn in UC-16, ward no.4 in Soldier Bazaar, leading to clash between two political groups. Polling has stopped in its wake.

10.28am – MQM-H leader Afaq Ahmed has cast his vote in Korangi no.2 at a polling station in Govt Secondary School.

10.24am – Women voters in UC-27 of Orangi Town are protesting for not being allowed to cast a vote. They allege that polling agents were saying polling material was not available.

10.14am – PTI leader Ali Zaidi claimed that two ‘fake’ presiding officers have been arrested from a polling station in Soldier Bazar. However, police have not issued any such statement yet.

10.10am – Following arguments between two political parties in UC-36 of Baldia Town over alleged rigging, polling has temporarily been stopped.

10.06am – Polling in UC-8, Dumba Goth and UC-16 Soldier Bazaar could not kick off as yet. People are present at a polling station in large number. But polling staff is not the site, adding to rage of people.

10.01am – Polling has stopped in UC-36 of Baldia Town after mismanagement and unrest. Law enforcement personnel have been called to control the situation.

9.52am- Voters are protesting in Musharraf Colony, Baldia against halt in polling process. The voters have not been told any reason about stop in the process.

“Arynews.tv yesterday conducted a poll about who, according to people, would clinch majority seats in the Karachi local government elections. Following was the result:

9.45am – Rangers have been called in Korangi following reports of unrest in some parts of the district.

9.35am – MQM leader Waseem Akhtar alleges that workers of Mutahidda Qaumi Movement-Haqiqi are harassing polling staff. He said his party had informed the Rangers about the matter.

“Meanwhile, polling for final phase of local government in 12 districts of Punjab is also underway. Click here for live updates.“

Unidentified man caught red-handed casting ‘multiple votes’

9.20am – ARY correspondent reported that polling agent has started casting votes in UC-4, polling stations no.17 and 18 in Chanesar Goth. Another man was seen assisting the polling agent in casting ‘fake votes’. He than ran away after having spotted by the media persons.

9.15am – In Banaras area, voters said they are so far satisfied with security arrangements. A large number of people have thronged polling stations to exercise their right of franchise.

9.01am – Mismanagement, loadshedding are taking on the nerves on voters queued up at different polling stations in Lyari, Gulistan-e-Jauhar and Malir.

Wedding hall overnight converted into polling station

8.56am – An unusual happening was reported from Malir where a wedding hall was overnight converted into a polling station. The authorities broke locks of the hall and set up a polling station inside. The owner of the marriage hall expressed dismay, and said he should have also been consulted before the move.

“Fact-check: Click here to know about a suspect in MNA attack case contesting for chairmanship in Karachi LG polls“

8.41am – Similar complaints of delayed polling are being received from Pak Colony area, where people are queued up at Hasrat Mohani School – where polling station has been set up – but the staff is not present.

“Situationer: According to ARY News correspondent, the election staff in Malir protested for hours last night in Malir for non-payment of their stipend. The election authorities finally managed to pay their remuneration.  It was witnessed that polling material in the District was despatched by polling staff without proper care, raising questions over its security.”

8:27am –  The Election Commission of Pakistan has received complaint from Malir District that polling could not begin in most of its polling stations.

8.21am – People have started thronging at a polling station in UC-4 Chanesar Goth to cast their vote. The area is impoverished with people complaining that hardly any development was carried out in the constituency. They hope new elected local government representatives will work for their betterment.

8:14am- Despite commencement of polling, a polling station in UC-6 of Manzoor colony still could not open. While law enforcement personnel have reached at the polling booth for security.

07:39am – The polling across the city has kicked off amid strict security of Rangers, police and other law enforcement personnel at polling stations.