SHIKARPUR: Leaders of the Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F) have accused candidates associated with the Pakistan Peoples Party of fanning tribal disputes and using the ensuing situation in their favour in the local government election.

PML-F’s MNA Ghous Bakhsh Khan Mahar and MPA Imtiaz Ahmed Shaikh said at a joint press conference here on Thursday that PPP candidates, aided by rulers, were trying to disrupt the precarious peace in the district which was already plagued by tribal wars.

They feared that if the PPP candidates succeeded in stoking tribal disputes, it would give them a free hand to rig polls at polling stations set up in the areas affected by tribal disputes.

In a bid to shift people’s attention away from their own pre-poll rigging they were staging demonstrations against the Election Commission of Pakistan and submitting complaints against the district election commissioner and other officials, accusing them of supporting PML-F candidates, said Mr Mahar. He said that the protest was part of the PPP’s plan to keep election staff under pressure and commit large-scale rigging during polls.

Mr Shaikh said that PPP candidates and their supporters attacked election camp and offices of PML-F candidates in the city which caused panic and fear among their workers and supporters.

He said that it showed frustration on the part of the PPP which was faced with internal rifts and grouping over distribution of party tickets seen by many as unjust. The tickets were issued on the recommendation of leaders of different groups, he said. He demanded that the National Accountability Bureau probe embezzlement of Rs4 billion development funds released to the Shikarpur municipal committee which had not carried out any development work for years.

The PML-F leaders reiterated their demand the polls should he held under the supervision of the army and Rangers in order to ensure a free, fair and transparent election.

JUI-F rally in Jacobabad

SUKKUR: Leaders of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl, Jacobabad cha­p­ter, on Thursday accused the PPP of using government machinery in campaigning for local government elections and said the government and police vehicles were being used openly in electioneering.

They said the PPP had appointed returning officers and election staff of their choice and set up polling stations in their strongholds to ensure their win.

They were addressing participants of a rally which the party had organised to protest against ‘pre-polls rigging by PPP’.

JUI-F district emir Dr A.G. Ansari and others said the PPP leaders had become frustrated as they could foresee defeat of their nominated candidates in LG polls despite the fact they had posted polling staff of their choice.

They said the ruling party had made elaborate plans for pre-polls rigging to avert a certain defeat in election. Sindh’s rulers had done nothing for people’s welfare during last seven years of their rule and that was why they feared being rejected by people, they said.

They said the attempt to rig polls provided a proof to the fact that the once popular party of Sindh was now not so sure of its victory.

They said the government and police vehicles were busy running election drive of PPP-backed candidates and the government employees were being pressurised by PPP to cast vote in favour of PPP candidates or get ready to be transferred to remote areas.

They demanded the Election Commission of Pakistan should conduct LG elections under supervision of Army or Rangers personnel and warned they would stage strong protest across the province if elections were not held in a free, fair and transparent manner.

Published in Dawn, October 30th, 2015

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