KARACHI, Aug 12: The Pakistan People’s party has rejected the Election Commission’s conclusion that 97 per cent of the PPP’s claims of kidnapping and torture by the provincial government were ‘false’.

Head of the PPP election monitoring committee Taj Haider, shocked by the EC’s response, demanded an inquiry commission, headed by a high court judge, for a thorough inquiry into the alleged excesses. He also demanded removal of the chief minister.

Mr Haider was addressing a news conference where some of the alleged victims of the excesses also narrated their ordeals.

The PPP leader wondered how the EC reached such a conclusion and what was the mode of its investigation.

“The EC’s conclusion is not reflective of the facts because none of the affected parties have been heard by the so-called investigators. This has also exposed the hollowness of the regime’s claim that the elections are being held in a free, fair and transparent manner.”

Describing the EC’s position in this regard as ‘unfortunate’, he claimed that kidnapping of LB candidates and their relatives, proposers and seconders, as well as torture on them, was still continuing unabated.

Mr Haider alleged that the code of conduct was being flouted with impunity by ‘armed gagsters’ of the ruling coalition who were targeting opposition candidates and their supporters. He reiterated the PPP stand that if the EC was unable to get its own code of conduct implemented, then it should scrap the same.

Opposition leader in the Sindh Assembly Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, told journalists: “a reign of terror has been let loose on Sindh people by the government of Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim, who has the backing of the regime at the centre.” He alleged the chief minister had even started threatening the judges who would not follow his dictations.

He demanded removal of the chief minister for his ‘anti-people conduct’ and appealed to the people of Sindh to reject those who had trampled over their rights through the vote on August 18 and 25.

Head of the PPP’s policy planning Sherry Rahman (MNA) referred to the alleged entry of 15,000 bogus names in voters list of Sukkur district, and slammed the regime for maltreating women in the electoral process.

She demanded postponement of election in the constituencies where women had allegedly been subjected to excesses and denied their rights.

Meanwhile, the PPP’s media cell at the Bilawal House has termed the remarks by MQM chief Altaf Hussain about a re-trial of Bhutto case, as well as his criticism of Benazir Bhutto, ‘malicious’.

In a statement, it maintained that Mr Hussain had no credibility because while Ms Bhutto had been struggling against those who had eliminated Z. A. Bhutto and Mir Murtaza Bhutto, the MQM chief and his party had been enjoying the fruits of power with the same elements.

“Mr Hussain’s remarks have only proved that in Sindh, no one can do politics without taking the name of Bhuttos,” the statement said.

It described Mr Hussain’s claim that his party was representative of the poor as ‘farce’. Referring to Altaf Hussain’s British nationality, it asked him to explain “how this party of the poor is spending such a huge amount on the election campaign that its chief is conducting from a foreign land?”