22 July 2004	Thursday	04 Jamadi-us-Saani 1425

RAWALPINDI, July 21: The Pakistan People's Party (PPP) has criticized the government for allocating Rs600 million development funds to 24 union councils of NA 59, Attock, from where Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz is contesting the August 18 by-polls.

PPP Punjab information secretary Naveed Chaudhry in a meeting with district secretary information Salim Mughal here on Wednesday said the huge allocation to the particular constituency was tantamount to pre-poll rigging.

He said under the law the government could not allocate funds to a constituency where elections are being held. The government, he said, was spending huge amounts on the election campaign of Mr Aziz so that he could win the polls from a constituency to where he did not belong.

He said large-scale changes in the police and the local administration were also underway in the constituency after which free and fair elections seemed impossible.