BADIN: Losing candidates — one each from Badin, Mirpurkhas, Sukkur and Shikarpur — alleged on Thursday that they had been defeated through “technical rigging”.

Haji Rasool Bux Chandio, aspirant for NA-230 (Badin), addressed a hurriedly called press conference at Jamali House here on Thursday and alleged that the results were manipulated through massive rigging and other malpractices after 10pm on election day.

He said his agents were expelled from the polling stations by “khalaee makhlooq” and later on the results were manipulated, showing the lead of Dr Fehmida Mirza by 807 votes.

Mr Chandio said the sudden change in the direction of results in favour of his opponent Dr Fehmida Mirza, which initially showed his lead of 2,500 votes from the ballot counts of 233 polling stations, raised doubts. He said he had filed an application to the returning officer for recount of the votes.

According to Badin district PPP general secretary Haji Sain Bux Jamali, it remains unclear as to why PPP candidate Haji Taj Mohammad Mallah was shown successful by 2,400 votes against his rival candidate Dr Fehmida Mirza for PS-73, but later on the lead was reduced to only 281 votes.

He alleged that the presiding officers from 60 polling stations either left the venue or were missing from the polling process, paving way for the massive rigging.

They appealed to the Election Commission of Pakistan for putting off the result announcement till recounting of the votes.

In Mirpurkhas, MQM-P candidate for PS-47 (Mirpurkhas) Mujibul Haq has alleged that the mandate of the Haq Parast masses of Mirpurkhas has been snatched through what he termed technical rigging.

He also blamed that the pre-poll rigging plan had been made in the past by delimitation and showing less census of urban areas.

Addressing a press conference here on Thursday, he claimed that maximum number of MQM-P voters had voted for him. After completion of the polling, his polling agents were sent out of polling stations for ‘rigging’ and its complaint was made to the Election Commission of Pakistan, he added.

According to the results of 97 polling stations out of the total 187, he said he was leading with 17,000 votes while PPP candidate Hari Ram Kishori Lal acquired 13,599 votes. He said that PPP leaders and office bearers in the night gathered at different polling stations to change the result in favour of their candidates.

He lamented that ballot boxes were shifted to unknown places in the night and today (Thursday) Haq Parast mandate was changed in favour of the PPP candidate.

He said his polling agents were given result on plain papers by presiding officers in the city.

He appealed to the chief justice of the Supreme Court of Pakistan and chief election commissioner to look into the issue and punish the responsible officials.

In Shikarpur, Agha Taimoor Khan Pathan, candidate for PS-7 (Shikarpur-1), has expressed his deep concern over the election process and rejected elections results of PS-07.

At a press conference held at his residence, he alleged that election results had been given on blank papers and not on Form-45, which was sheer violation of the election code of conduct.He also alleged that he was kept detained for six hours after a firing incident, though his rival and his accomplices had fired at him (Agha).

A number of GDA leaders were present on the occasion.

MMA’s Soomro says results manipulated in favour of Bilawal

LARKANA: Maulana Rashid Mehmood Soomro, president MMA Sindh and general secretary of JUI-F Sindh chapter, has rejected results of general election and alleged that his results have been manipulated to defeat him.

He said at a hurriedly-called press conference at the local press club on Thursday night that his party would hold province-wide protest against the results.

He said that people of Larkana had given clear verdict in his favour but Asif Ali Zardari exerted his pressure and warned that he would not accept the results if Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari lost from Larkana.

However, he did not divulge the name to whom Zardari had sent the message. He added in the same breath that his polling agents were not given ECP’s Form 45 mentioning the details of the result.

They were compelled to leave the polling stations. He said 150 polling stations in his constituency were not provided Form 45 and pointed towards lacunae in the result sheet, as ballot papers and the result sheet did not match in terms of numbers of candidates contesting from the seat.

He alleged that results were manipulated. At certain polling stations, the ballot boxes were not opened in time. Two presiding officers from Naudero had brought the results on Thursday evening after 24 hours in their private car and rickshaw at the returning officer’s office. He said that he had all proofs with him regarding the election and would send them to ECP.

He showed simple receipts to the media which were provided to his polling agents on plain paper that had no legal weight, he added.

He said that when such elections results were already planned then why the Election Commission of Pakistan had spent huge money on this exercise.

Flanked by his brother Maulana Nasir Mehmood Soomro who had contested NA-202 (Qambar-Shahdadkot) but could not win, he said results were also changed there.

He announced convening meeting of MMA Sindh to discuss the post-poll situation. If PPP formed government in Sindh it would not be permitted to ruin and plunder Sindh again, he said.

He claimed that Larkana was no more a stronghold of PPP and alleged that PPP was stealing people’s mandate.

MQM-P protests ‘rigging’

MIRPURKHAS: A large number of supporters of MQM-P held a demonstration on Thursday on Hyderabad-Mirpurkhas road in protest against alleged rigging in election. They alleged that they had cast votes but their mandate was handed to PPP candidate. The protesters dispersed peacefully after two hours.

Published in Dawn, July 27th, 2018