ISLAMABAD, March 29: Pakistan People's Party has condemned what it termed "massive rigging" in the local body polls held on Sunday in different parts of the country and demanded a judicial inquiry into it.
"Reports have been received from different union councils of massive manipulations and strong-arm tactics by the supporters of the official candidates," the PPP spokesman in a statement here Monday said.
Citing an incident of violence, he said, during the voting for election to the Nazim's slot in the Union Council Hajiwala, Gujrat, the opponents of the PPP-backed candidate resorted to violence, opened fire and killed one person and injured another.
It further added that the armedmen with the help of the local police, stormed two polling stations in the Hajiwala village, threw the PPP polling agents out, opened fire with automatic weapons.
He alleged that the PPP had in advance informed the returning officer about the opponents' plan to take over the polling stations in the face of their imminent defeat but he didn't take any action.
The results in this constituency have not been announced yet. The spokesman termed manipulation of the elections denial of right of expression and the right of governance to the people, which would breed resentment against the federation. He asked the human rights bodies to take note of the situation.
