1) Is asking Maula Ali or Imam Mahdi for help allowed? if yes then how do they help?

2) Can you please state the origin of this? Did Ahlebait or Imam seek help or call to Maula Ali for help?

3) Did the women of Karbala call out to Imam Ali (AS) for help at any point? or they didn’t have to as they had the Iman of the time Imam Zain ul Abideen (AS) with them?

[An-Nisa:64]:
وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ إِذ ظَّلَمُوا أَنفُسَهُمْ جَاءُوكَ فَاسْتَغْفَرُوا اللَّهَ وَاسْتَغْفَرَ لَهُمُ الرَّسُولُ لَوَجَدُوا اللَّهَ تَوَّابًا رَّحِيمًا

If, then, after having sinned against themselves, they would come to you and ask God to forgive them – with the Apostle, too, praying that they be forgiven – they would assuredly find that God is an acceptor of repentance, a dispenser of grace.

According to the narrations we have they did call the prophet and Imam Ali peace be upon them. Lady Zainab peace be upon her called and said “Oh grandfather! look at your grandson who’s slaughtered and your granddaughter is taken as a captive”. They also asked Imam Zaiul Abedeen for help and direction