HYDERABAD, Aug 23: Leaders of the People’s Party Parliamentarians and Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal have accused the Sindh chief minister and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement of harassing and intimidating opposition candidates.

Speaking at a news conference at the press club here on Tuesday, MMA district president Maulana Abdul Waheed Qureshi said the Election Commission and the government had adopted a partisan attitude.

He said it was necessary to bring election malpractices on record so that action could be taken against officials concerned at an appropriate time.

People’s Party MPA Zahid Bhurgari, MPA Rehman Rajput, Jamaat-i-Islami leader Shaikh Shaukat Ali and PPP leader Amanullah Siyal were present on the occasion.

Maulana Qureshi said that right from the beginning when the election process started for local body elections, government parties, especially the MQM under the patronage of the government, resorted to hooliganism, repression and threats.

He said candidates of the Ittehad-i-Millat Group were pressurized not to file nomination papers but when they refused, they were being threatened with dire consequences and not allowed to carry on election work.

Maulana Qureshi said SHOs of Fort, City, Latifabad section-A and section-B police stations were performing the role of sector in-charges of the MQM.

They said candidates of the Sunni Tehrik were tortured who have announced boycott of election in protest.

He said the MMA would not boycott the second phase of elections scheduled to be held in the district on August 25.

He appealed to the silent majority to exercise their right of franchise with a view to defeating terrorists.

MPA Zahid Bhurgari said Awam Dost Panel candidates for the post of nazim of Hatri UC, Khawand Bux Jahejo, was held in wrongful confinement by the anti-corruption establishment and warned that if he did not withdraw from the contest, an inquiry would be instituted against him.

He said another nazim candidate of UC-1 Qasimabad, Ali Nawaz Kutrio, was being harassed and his house was raided.

He said the Sindh chief minister was visiting every UC and threatening opposition candidates with dire consequences if they did not retire from the contest.

He said polling stations of UC-4 Qasimabad had been established at least 15 kilometres away from the area.

MPA Rehman Rajput said midnight calls were being made at houses of opposition candidates by MQM activists and they were being threatened with dire consequences.

ST: Sunni Tehreek-supported Insan Dost panels of UCs-7, 10 and 11 have announced boycott of local body elections scheduled due to alleged excesses of the MQM and the partisan attitude of police.

Speaking at a news conference at the press club on Monday evening, Sunni Tehreek leaders Mohammad Khalid Qadri, Khalid Hassan Attari, Mohammad Amin Qadri and Mohammad Touqeer Qureshi alleged that their candidates had been issued death threats.

They said they had sent seven written complaints through fax to the president, prime minister, federal interior minister, chief election commissioner and corps commander Sindh, but there was no response.

They said they had informed authorities about excesses of SHO A-section police station Latifabad but no action had been taken so far.

They accused the MQM of unleashing a reign of terror against the Insan Dost Panel.

They said under the circumstances, the Insan Dost Panel of UC-7, 10 and 11 Latifabad had decided to boycott the LB elections on August 25 in protest.