SUKKUR/KARACHI: Maulana Rashid Mehmood Soomro, the Sindh president of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) and general secretary of Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA), announced on Monday that sit-ins will be held on highways in all cities and towns of Sindh on Wednesday in protest against rigging in the July 25 general elections.

He was speaking to the media after chairing an emergency meeting of the two electoral allies in Sukkur which was attended by senior leaders from both sides. He said all points of sit-ins had been finalised.

Sharing the protest plan with the media, Maulana Soomro said that sit-in would be held at 11 points from 10am to block highways. He said JUI-F and MMA activists and supporters would hold sit-ins at certain points in Karachi’s East, West, South and Central districts as well as in Malir district and on Hub River Road, he added.

Likewise, he said, sit-ins would be held at Badin bypass, Hatri bypass (in Hyderabad), Sakrand bypass, Sujawal bypass and Jacobabad bypass.

In Kandhkot-Kashmore district, the sit-in would be held on the highway’s gas field section while another sit-in would be held at toll plaza in Ghotki, he added.

He said that the plan was prepared in a manner that people from all districts would be able to participate in a sit-in to be held at the nearest venue within their respective area of residence.

He repeated the allegation that under a conspiracy JUI-F and MMA candidates were defeated “in connivance with the Election Commission of Pakistan, district returning officers and returning officers”.

Maulana Soomro said that on Thursday, JUI-F-MMA activists and supporters would hold a demonstration in front of the Provincial Election Commission’s office in Karachi.

The JUI-F-MMA meeting was attended by Maulana Saud Afzal Halejvi, Mau­lana Mohammed Sualeh Indhar, Maulana Moham­med Ramzan Phulpoto, Syed Siraj Ahmed Shah Amroti, Siraj Ahmed Cha­nna and others.

GDA plans to launch drive against rigging after Independence Day celebrations

KARACHI: The Grand Democratic Alliance reiterated on Monday that the alliance rejected results of July 25 election and announced launching a protest drive in the province after Independence Day celebrations were over.

The protest would continue till transparent election was held in Sindh to restore stolen mandate to people’s genuine representatives, according to decisions taken at a meeting of GDA leaders here at the residence of National Peoples Party chief Ghulam Murtaza Khan Jatoi.

The meeting, which was convened to formulate the protest strategy against alleged rigging and consider obtaining political situation in the country, was presided over by GDA chief and PML-F president Pir Pagara.

After detailed deliberations, the GDA leaders empowered Pir Pagara to hold negotiations and take decision with regard to the federal government, said GDA secretary general Ayaz Latif Palijo.

He said that representatives of the component parties of the alliance once again rejected the polls’ results and reiterated its stance that people’s mandate had been stolen during the counting of votes in the absence of polling agents who were pushed out and not issued certified results on Form 45.

He said that although people had cast vote in favour of GDA candidates in large numbers PPP had once again been imposed on Sindh through manipulation of results.

Mr Palijo raised question how the PPP could manage to grab more seats than it secured in previous election despite unrest among teachers and farmers.

“It is quite surprising; the PPP could not have bagged such a heavy mandate even in [the] election held soon after the assassination of Benazir Bhutto. What is the party’s achievement over the past 10 years that it secured such a huge mandate,” he said.

He gave credit for election result to the “king” on whose instruction the GDA candidates’ results were changed in favour of PPP after pushing out our polling agents at the time of counting of votes. “The GDA will continue to protest until fresh polls are held in a transparent manner in Sindh,” he added.

He asked why National Accountability Bureau, Federal Investigation Agency and other law enforcement agencies were avoiding launching investigation against the corrupt people in Sindh.

GDA, which had extended full cooperation to PTI well before election, said they had great expectations from the PTI government in making and suggested Imran Khan announce federal packages for the development of rural Sindh and special packages for growers.

Mr Palijo condemned institution of “fake” cases against GDA workers and demanded the federal government rid Sindh of corruption and post impartial IGP and chief secretary in Sindh.

In reply to a question he said that after Independence Day, the GDA would announce its strategy including strike to get back snatched mandate.

Veteran politician and GDA leader Syed Ghaus Ali Shah said: “We have decided to extend our full support to Imran Khan in his efforts to rid the country of corruption menace”.

PML-F Sindh president and central leader of GDA Pir Sadruddin Shah Rashdi said that poor masses of Sindh had cast votes for GDA candidates and people had fully participated in election but results were changed later under a calculated conspiracy to defeat GDA.

He said that they would not give up struggle for fair play and snatch back rights of people from usurpers. “We’ll never disappoint people of the province,” he added.

He said what sort of “fair” elections were they that not only those who were defeated but even the winners were concerned over results.

Published in Dawn, August 7th, 2018