Jamaat-e-Islami held a large protest and sit-in on Shahrah-e-Faisal on Friday to condemn alleged electoral malpractice in the recent by-elections in Karachi. The protest, led by Karachi’s Amir, Munim Zafar Khan, accused the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) of election-related violence, vote manipulation, and collusion with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to undermine public mandates.
In a press conference at Idara Noor-e-Haq, Monem Zafar Khan criticized PPP for its repeated practices of “electoral terrorism,” claiming the party has a history of manipulating elections to secure its interests.
He alleged that the PPP’s actions are consistent with the tactics of its founding leader, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, and continued by his grandson, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.
Khan also expressed confidence in the people of Karachi, who, despite the alleged rigging, continued to trust Jamaat-e-Islami in the local elections. Khan detailed the alleged irregularities in the elections, including the manipulation of results, pre-poll rigging, and the involvement of local authorities. He cited specific cases where the votes were transferred across areas, such as in Liaquatabad UC7, where more than 2,000 votes were added to PPP’s tally, and similar incidents in Model Town and Korangi.
The Jamaat-e-Islami leaders vowed to escalate their protests and take legal action, including filing a petition with the ECP and possibly the Supreme Court, to challenge the election results.
