ISLAMABAD: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) on Monday claimed that a conspiracy of pre-poll rigging has been hatched against it to affect its popularity and get desired results in the coming general elections.

Party leader Senator Mustafa Kamal, speaking in the upper house of the Parliament, claimed that in every election a ‘drama’ is staged against his party as he objected delimitation in Karachi.

“This act will affect our vote bank and is tantamount to pre-poll rigging,” he claimed.

Kamal said delimitation cannot be carried out once the election schedule is announced and the decision is not welcomed by his party leadership and workers.

The former Karachi Nazim (mayor) claimed that people vote for MQM due to its performance and the efforts it makes for their welfare. “If anybody wants to win the hearts of people, they will have to perform better than MQM,” he added.

“Decision of delimitation is disrespect to MQM’s mandate,” he claimed and also called for measures to stop targeted killings of leaders and workers of political parties.

“If peace is not restored and anti-state elements are left freely to act, the dream of strong democracy will never be fulfilled,” he added.