Social media has been filled with complaints over the past 48 hours that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has changed the voter registration data of many citizens without informing them, most of whom claim that their polling stations are inconvenienced by election watchdogs. places have been shifted. Far ahead compared to their previous allocation.
These complaints came after the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf asked citizens to verify their voter registration information with the ECP, including some who claimed their vote was annulled by the commission , because it was wrongly killed them. By sending a message to their Identity Card (CNIC) numbers at 8300.
Since then, dozens of Twitter users have posted screenshots of updates made to their polling stations, which have been replaced with updates allocated during the 2018 general election, and in some cases moved far enough away from their areas of residence. has gone.
A social media user said that his polling station, which was just 700 meters away from his house, was moved six kilometers away. Another complained that his polling station is now located 20 km away from his residence area.
Another user said that some voters were “thrown for a few hundred miles”.
don.com has confirmed that polling stations have been changed without any notice after some employees used the Commission’s SMS service to find that their stations were moved away from the stations allotted earlier. However, some people said that there has been no change in their polling station figures.
don.com The Election Commission of Pakistan has been reached out to explain these changes, but has so far not received a response.
‘Pre-election rigging’
Journalists, politicians and citizens expressed concern and anger at these changes, raising questions about whether it was a pre-election rigging attempt to manipulate elections.
talking don.comPTI leader Zulfi Bukhari said these measures were an attempt to weaken PTI’s “strong areas”.
He said that these changes are being made in a haphazard manner without much thought with the aim of weakening PTI’s strongholds.
Journalist Amir Zia said the ECP had “messed up” and countless voters would have to travel far and wide to exercise their franchise.
Journalist Sumaira Jazza said she had ECP messages from September and December showing old polling stations. “When did the change in the new polling station happen? Checking is being done with family and friends, it is not just limited to Karachi,” he said.
PTI MPA Riyaz Haider alleged that his vote was canceled as ECP data showed he had died. He hit out at the Chief Election Commissioner and expressed concern over the performance of the institute on such an error.
Former head of Pakistan’s National Counter Terrorism Authority Khawaja Khalid Farooq said something was “seriously wrong” with the “uncomfortable displacement” of polling stations.
“What the fuck is this. Will the ECP explain?” He asked.
Some of the ECP’s messages clearly showed the last and incomplete polling stations. A social media user questioned the meaning of that discrimination.
“If voters’ constituencies are managed this way, it will be massive pre-poll rigging,” he said.
One person alleged that the ECP had planned to divide PTI’s vote bank in remote areas to “make it impossible for voters to reach their polling stations on election day”.
Additional reporting by Javed Hussain.