Pakistan: Murtaza Wahab elected as Karachi’s new mayor in hotly contested election
Rival political activists clash, damage vehicles after results were announced
Karachi: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) candidate Barrister Murtaza Wahab has been elected as the new mayor of Karachi for the next four years.
This is the first time that the ruling PPP has clinched Karachi’s mayoral post. Wahab defeated Jamaat-e-Islami’s (JI) Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman.
The polling for the hotly contested election took place at the auditorium of the Arts Council, Karachi.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) changed the venue of the polling station from the historical City Council Hall to the Arts Council.
According to unofficial results, Wahab secured 173 votes from the City Council members belonging to PPP and its allied parties Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam.
The rival candidate of JI secured 160 votes. Hafiz Rehman secured votes from the City Council members belonging to JI and allied Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
10 people injured
Later, the PPP’s candidate Salman Abdulah Murad was elected as Karachi’s deputy mayor.
Though the polling was held peacefully, the rival activists of the PPP and JI clashed with outside the Arts Council as soon as the mayoral poll result was announced.
Sindh Information Minister, Sharjeel Inam Memon, later told journalists that 10 people had sustained injuries and several vehicles were damaged in the clashes.
He said that no one would be allowed to disturb Karachi’s peace as the law would take its due course if anyone again attempts to foment trouble.
Memon blamed the rogue elements belonging to JI for the violence.
The contingents of Sindh Police and Rangers sprang into action against the activists and brought the situation under control.
The JI later sent a letter to the ECP asking it to declare null and void the process of Karachi’s mayoral election as it lacked transparency and fairness.
The JI urged the ECP to announce a fresh poll as 29 members of the City Council belonging to the PTI were not allowed by the provincial government to take part in the voting.