LARKANA: Over 40 activists of different political parties forming the Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) were booked in the aftermath of a violent incident involving participants of the alliance’s election rally and activists of the rival Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) on Station Road on Monday night.

The FIR (No. 82/2019) was lodged by a PPP worker, Tarique Siyal, at the Dari police station under various sections of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) and Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) against 40 persons — 12 GDA workers and other unknown persons.

The complainant alleged that the suspects stopped the vehicles carrying PPP workers passing by the rally and beat up several of them on Monday night.

Police picked up around 10 persons in overnight raids but let them off after a few hours.

The complainant in his FIR nominated Tashkeel Jatoi, Aijaz Jatoi, Shahid Kalhoro, Naveed Jatoi, Haji Brohi, Hafeez Samtio, Jameel Gaad, Khalid Mirani, Junaid Kal­horo and other activists.

PPP leader Aajiz Dhamrah, speaking at a press conference at the local press club on Tuesday accused GDA of disturbing the otherwise peaceful atmosphere for the re-election, scheduled for Thursday (October 17). He urged the Election Commission to take notice of the violence and ensure peace in the constituency before and after the polling.

He alleged that activists of the GDA component parties attacked PPP’s election camp and injured three workers on Monday night, an allegation quickly rejected by GDA leaders.

Mr Dhamra said on the one hand, GDA activists attacked PPP workers and, on the other, they were raising a hue and cry. He said if they continued to resort to such things on polling day, “PPP knows how to protect its mandate”.

He said it was quite surprising that the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), which was preparing for a march against Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) government, was supporting GDA candidate backed by PTI. “This is JUI-F’s double standard,” he said.

Later, Moazzam Abbasi, the Larkana Awami Ittehad (LAI) candidate contesting against PPP’s Jamil Soomro, rejected the allegations in his press conference, where leaders of LAI and other GDA component parties, including JUI-F, were present.

He said the activists picked up by police after Monday night’s violence were set free only after the Sindh IG was apprised of the factual position.

He said it was actually PPP which was spoiling the peaceful atmosphere in the constituency, and asked why it opposed the ECP’s decision to allow deployment of army and Rangers at the polling stations during the polling when it claimed having a heavy mandate.

JUI-F leader Maulana Nasir Mehmood Soomro, PPP-Workers president Dr Safdar Abbasi, Jeay Sindh Mahaz-R chief Riaz Chandio and Allah Bakhsh Unnar of PTI welcomed the ECP decision.

Maulana Soomro alleged that PPP activists intentionally blocked GDA rally’s defined route by attacking the participants.

He also alleged that certain policemen from Karachi were seen having sneaked into the rally to disturb it.

Responding to the charge of JUI-F pursuing double standard, he argued that his party had been part of LAI for eight years.

When asked to comment on PPP Sindh president Nisar Khuhro’s statement asking JUI-F emir Maulana Fazlur Rehman to explain his party’s position, Maulana Soomro said: “He does not match the stature of the JUI-F emir and, therefore, he has no right to ask him any question regarding the party’s policy”.

He observed that [PPP chairman] Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari’s Tweet, Mr Khuhro’s statement, Mr Dhamrah’s press conference all reflected PPP’s nervousness.

Criticising police for being under influence of the ruling party in Sindh, he warned that if anything untoward happened at polling stations, the police would solely be responsible for it.

Dr Safdar Abbasi alleged that police had registered FIR against GDA workers under ATA sections on the insistence of PPP leaders. He said that in contravention of the ECP code of conduct, PPP’s ministers, CM’s advisers and lawmakers all were sitting in the constituency to influence voters. Riaz Chandio also urged the ECP to take appropriate action against them and appealed to the Larkana district and sessions judge to take notice of their open involvement in election process.

Published in Dawn, October 16th, 2019