PTI's Naqvi booked for 'tampering with ballot boxes'

A first information report (FIR) was registered against PTI's Firdous Shamim Naqvi in Karachi for "tampering with ballot boxes" at a polling station during the Jan 15 local government elections in the metropolis, it emerged on Tuesday.

Naqvi visited a polling station on Sunday and shared videos that showed him removing "loose seals from ballot boxes". The provincial election commission took notice of Naqvi's video and termed his actions as "illegal and against the code of conduct". The election commission had subsequently directed the officials concerned to expel the MPA from the polling station and to immediately submit a report on the matter.

In the latest development, the presiding officer, Asif Ali, had an FIR filed against Naqvi at the Soldier Bazaar Police Station on Monday.

The FIR, a copy of which is available with Dawn.com, was registered under Section 172 (tampering with papers) of the Elections Act, 2017 and 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions) as well as 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) of the Pakistan Penal Code.

The complainant narrated in the FIR that he was performing his duty at Qazi Khuda Bux School located within the remit of Badar Commercial area of the DHA where the PTI lawmaker arrived with an "intent to tamper with ballot boxes".

"I attempted to expel him from the polling station but he pushed and shoved me," the FIR said.

According to the complainant, Naqvi left the polling station shortly afterward as the polling process continued.

"I informed my superiors verbally and in writing about the incident. Now I am filing a case at the police station and demand legal action against him," the presiding officer said in his complaint.

The PTI leader, during his visit to the polling station where he was allegedly caught violating the ECP's code of conduct, had complained about the mismanagement and the alleged improper sealing of ballot boxes.

He had also tweeted, saying: "There is no staff present at the polling station since morning. There are five ballot boxes kept in a single room. There is no female staff present from the election commission."