The seat had fallen vacant after the death of Abdul Sattar Afghani of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal. A total of 13 candidates were in the run, but the real contest was between MQM and ARD. Saleem Zia of PML-N, which is a component of ARD, had already retired in favour of Pakistan People's Party leader Nafees Siddiqui and Raja Arif Sultan Minhas of the MMA had boycotted the election in protest against what he called pre-poll rigging by the government.
Nine independent candidates were also in the field. The polling started at 0800 hours on Saturday at 135 polling stations set up by the Election Commission, where 2,14,234 registered voters including 1,25,688 females were exercised their right of franchise.
Overall, the situation remained peaceful except one incident in which some unidentified armed men attacked the MQM activists and injured a few of them. Manhandling of PPP candidate Nafees Siddiqui by some unidentified persons in Burns Road was also reported.
According to a PPP press release armed MQM men attacked its candidate Nafees Ahmed Siddiqui and kidnapped his son Kashif Nafees and three party men besides injuring and torturing several workers at polling stations Safia Girls secondary school, Pakistan Chowk and tore their clothes.
PPP Women Wing President Farzana Baloch and a labour leader Zareen Bux Samoon were made hostage at the same area where they were being tortured, the press release claimed.
Former Defence Minister of PPP Aftab Shaban Mirani has demanded immediate recovery of Kashif Nafees. Meanwhile, Sindh Information Advisor Salahuddin Haider has dismissed as absurd all charges levelled by PPP of rigging or state interference in the by-poll.
In a rejoinder to allegations from PPP leadership and its candidate Nafees Siddiqui hurled at a post-polling press conference at Bilawal House, Haider reminded the masses that rigging charge from losers had been a routine.
"Incidents of violence at a couple of places were the brain-child of PPP, which has been in a habit of crying wolf, every time it feared defeat," Haider added.
A statement said that PPP hirelings fired at polling areas near Aisha Bawany college, Safia Girls School, New Chali, Shireen Jinnah Colony injuring four MQM workers. UC Nazim Saddar Town, Nasir was also manhandled. Salahuddin Haider claimed that there was no retaliation from the Sindh Government or the MQM, although one of the MQM polling camps was set afire by PPP.