SUKKUR, Aug 5: Candidates belonging to the Awam Dost Panel (ADP) have alleged that the Sindh government machinery was being misused and a number of them were kidnapped and fake cases were registered against them at the behest of the Sindh Chief Minister, Arbab Ghulam Rahim.

Speaking at a joint press conference at the Sukkur Press Club on Friday, 12 ADP candidates along with PPP MNA Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah and former federal minister Islamuddin Shaikh, they said that the Sindh chief minister was misusing police and administration from different circuit houses of the province, which was “a shameful act”. They presented the victimized ADP candidates before newsmen.

Mr Yousuf Jagirani and five other union council candidates were also presented before the press, who alleged that through Syed Nasir Hussain Shah, the Sindh chief minister summoned them in the circuit house, Sukkur, and asked them to withdraw from the Awam Dost Panel.

They further said that when they refused to do so, the Sindh chief minister suspended Yousuf Jagirani’s brother Ayub Jagirani, a head clerk of irrigation department, his friend Zahid Mughal, a sub-engineer and not only this, the allotted residence of the irrigation department, in which “we used to live, was forcibly vacated through the police”.

They alleged that Dr. Bashir Mirani, a candidate of the union council Dadlo of Pano Aqil, was kidnapped, and has been missing for three days, while Arbab, Rahim and Shahzado of union council Dhandi were also missing from their homes and police were conducting raids to arrest candidates of naib nazim of the union council Kandhra, Fakir Mohammad Buriro and Asad Buriro.

They alleged that Dr. Bashir Mirani has been kidnapped by the head constable Mitha Khan on the orders of DSP Rohri, Ali Mohammad Mahar and he was in police custody while nazim, union council Nauraja, has been kept in Khangarh after being kidnapped and Jawed Siddiqui of the union council 8, has been arrested.

They said that all such complaints were sent to the Election Commission and high police officials, who seem to be powerless.

MINORITY: Mr Sudham Chand Bhagia, a candidate of nazim, union council 35 Pano Aqil, announced his resignation from the candidature of nazim of the union council 35 Pano Aqil, as an Awam Dost Panel, due to extreme pressure over his family by the government officials, police and other high profile political personalities.

Narrating his ordeal, he said, officials of the police department and other senior administration officials had been threatening him and his family members to withdraw his candidature for the post of nazim of the union council 35, Pano Aqil.

He, however, could not disclose the nature of excesses adopted by the government officials.

He said that he was a bold person and was satisfied that ADP chose him for the top slot of nazim of the union council and despite being a Hindu, no one opposed him.

But he said that he had decided to withdraw for the safety and honour of his family members.

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