September 25, 2002	Wednesday	Rajab 17, 1423

Please Visit our Sponsor (Ads open in separate window).

LARKANA, Sept 24: The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) casts doubts over the transparency of the general election as the chief election commissioner could not take notice of the excesses and administration’s interference.

Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, president, PPP (Sindh chapter), while addressing a news conference along with the PPP’s nominees in Larkana District on Monday, said when the chief election commissioner could not move over the complaints “then how can we believe that the ensuing polls will be fair and free”.

Mr Nisar said that he was optimistic about the emergence of the PPP as the major party in Sindh provided that the government machinery would allow the polls to be held in a free and fair way.

He said the PPP would continue to try pushing the government for holding transparent polls.

He said he did not give up the legal battle after the rejection of the nomination papers and finally succeeded in foiling the government’s intention of keeping him away from the election.

He said that within a couple of days the party manifesto regarding the election programme would be made public.

PARTY TICKET: Nisar Ahmed Khuhro submitted his party ticket and certificate with the returning officer concerned who alloted him the symbol of arrow on Monday.

CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED: Nisar Khuhro launched his election campaign and met the traders and shopkeepers in the main trading centres of Larkana city on Monday.

RETIRES: Jamil Ahmed Soomro, who was contesting as Nisar Khuhro’s covering candidate from PS-36 (Larkana-II), retired from the contest by submitting an application with the returning officer concerned on Monday thereby paving the way for Mr Nisar to contest.

AYAZ SOOMRO: Ayaz Soomro (PPP), who is contesting from PS-37 (Larkana-III) against Amir Bakhsh Bhutto, son of Mumtaz Ali Bhutto, alleged in the press conference that the SHO of Wairsdino Machhi police station along with ASI Ali Akbar had arrested Lal Bakhsh Soomro, Manzoor Umrani, and Wahab Brohi and tortured them at the police station.

He said that their only crime was that they had arranged a corner meeting with him.

He said that DSP Ghulam Ali Brohi, and the SHO, Ketti Mumtaz, barged into the house of Ghulam Mohammed Rahoojo in the Bhonbhatpur village and insulted the women folk.

He said that a fake case had been registered against Ashfaque Bhutto, the Nazim of Saeedodero, at the Naudero police station.

PML-Q: Altaf Hussain Unnar, district president, PML (Q), Larkana, accelerated his campaign by visiting many villages in his constituency, NA-204 (Larkana-I) and PS-35 (Larkana-I).

MMA: Dr Khalid Mehmood Soomro, a nominee of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA), addressed corner meetings in Mirokhan, Ratodero, and Sujawal on Monday.

PPP-SB: The chairperson of the PPP-SB, Ghinwa Bhutto, on Monday visited Naudero, Ratodero, Aarija, and other villages along with party candidates Farooque Bhutto, Asghar Umrani, Saeed Bhutto, and Badaruddain Bhutto.

She met the people and addressed corner meetings.

She said no government could grow without the people’s support and unchain itself from the conditions of the IMF and the World Bank.

JOINS PPP: Sardar Akbar Junijo on Tuesday announced to join the PPP in Dokri on Tuesday.

He is considered to be the right hand man of Haji Altaf Hussain Unnar, the PML-Q’s district president.

The PPP Sindh’s president, Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, along with Hizbullah Bughio, Aziz Ahmed Jatoi and Sarwar Khan Siyal, the PPP candidates contesting from NA-204, PS-41 (Larkana-VII) and PS-35 (Larkana-I) respectively, had called on Sardar Akbar Khan Junijo at his residence on late Monday night.