KARACHI: ARD to form bodies at district level: Tickets, seat adjustments
By Our Reporter
KARACHI, July 4: The Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy (ARD), Sindh chapter, on Monday decided to constitute district-level coordination committees to decide on the candidates and electoral adjustments with anti-government democratic elements keeping in view the local ground realities. The committees, comprising representatives of the member parties, would be constituted in a couple of days, said ARD Sindh chief Syed Qaim Ali Shah after presiding over the meeting at his residence.
Mr Shah said the meeting reviewed political situation in the context of the ensuing LG elections and the unbearable hike in POL prices, as well as other pressing issues that had seriously affected the common man.
He accused the provincial government of resorting to foul play and pre-election rigging by implicating opposition legislators and activists in false cases. He said that Zahid Bhurgari’s arrest was part of this victimization policy because the MPA had protested against the budget having been presented on the basis of the old NFC Award.
He also alleged that serious excesses were being committed against opposition supporters in Thatta, Badin, Mirpurkhas, Naushero Feroz and Umarkot.
Syed Qaim Ali Shah, who was flanked by Nafees Siddiqui (PPP), Salim Zia (PML-N), Amanullah Khan (PML-Qayyum) and Waqar Mehdi, accused the Sindh chief minister of violating law by ordering transfers and postings even after the announcement of election schedule.
He apprehended that the government could resort to violent measures to manipulate the ballot. He also referred to the chief minister’s reported remarks that “if people did not vote for the ruling party’s nazim, the government would not give development funds.” This, he said, was a clear manifestation of the government’s plan to rig the elections through coercive means. In addition, he said, voters’ list was being fiddled with after fragmenting districts to secure desired results. The delimitation without giving people the right to raise objections, if any, was illegal and mala fide, he maintained.
“They want to have doctored result but ARD component parties will fight and expose the regime’s true face,” said Mr Shah, urging the election commission to take serious notice of the transfers and postings being ordered by the chief minister in violation of the commission’s directive.
Replying to a question, Mr Shah said that the opposition would not leave the field open for the regime, despite apprehensions of massive rigging in the elections. “Our participation will be to expose their foul play and also to enable people to exercise their right to vote,” he said.
The ARD meeting also castigated the government for increasing petrol prices again and maintained that it would have cascading effect on the economy and the common man, whose life was already miserable.
Describing the recent increase as ‘a mini-budget’ he said this had nullified the government’s claims of economic gains reflected in over $12 billion reserves. He pointed out that price hike would increase the cost of transportation and thus make industrial and agricultural products costlier.
Mr Shah also slammed the government for allowing import of wheat, sugar and other items, and said it was shame for an agricultural country and meant that this sector was deficient.
He demanded that the decision of increasing POL prices be reversed.
Nafees Siddiqui said that the central leadership of ARD would meet here in the city soon. He also condemned continued detention of Javed Hashmi, Yusuf Raza Gilani, Afaq Ahmad, Guddu Bihari and others. He described the APC held under the auspices of a Sindh coalition partner on Sunday last as a non-starter that exposed their contradictions.
Salim Zia of PML-N expressed concern over not holding polls in 42 cantonments, and said this would deprive about 40 million people of their right to vote.
Amanullah Khan of PML-Qayyum said that people would resist the regime’s foul play and manipulations in the upcoming local bodies elections.
