KARACHI: The Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) on Wednesday accused the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) of indulging in pre-poll rigging by “misusing” resources of local government and blamed the caretaker administration of facilitating the rival party’s election campaign across Sindh.

The party demanded that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) take notice of “gross violation” of its code of conduct in the province.

Speaking at a press conference, senior PML-N leader Nehal Hashmi asked the caretaker government in Sindh to “prove its impartiality” by distancing itself from the PPP’s election campaign.

“The town administrations across Sindh are running the campaign of the PPP. Their vehicles, their funds and manpower are being used for the PPP candidates very openly,” he said, adding: “It’s so unfortunate that the ECP is not taking notice of such violations.”

Nehal Hashmi says his party’s deal with MQM-P for seat adjustment is no longer valid

Targeting PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, he challenged the former foreign minister in the Shehbaz Sharif-led federal government to engage with him in a debate instead of Nawaz Sharif.

He said that the PPP chairman was playing “dirty politics” for point scoring.

“Nawaz Sharif respects Bilawal and his workers and he considers his mother Benazir Bhutto as his sister,” he said. “But, Bilawal is so confused that he has started personal attacks in a tone that doesn’t suit a national leader.”

To a question about the influence of his own party in the caretaker government and local administration of Punjab that could also affect electioneering in their favour, he denied any such thing and declared that the parties contesting in Punjab had not made any such complaints.

“But here in Sindh you would find every party, other than the PPP, is making same complaint. So the difference is very clear and I believe that the caretaker Sindh chief minister and the ECP should take notice of these complaints,” he added.

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When asked about the status of an electoral understanding between the PML-N and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P), he said that the two parties had an agreement that pertained to before and after the Feb 8 elections.

“Unfortunately, our pre-poll arrangement couldn’t work and it’s no more in the field,” said Mr Hashmi. “However, our alliance is intact in the post-election scenario.”

He hoped that after the election results both the parties would move forward on the basis of terms already agreed by them.

Published in Dawn, January 25th, 2024