KARACHI, Aug 30: Attempts are being made to change the identity of the country by promoting western culture and manners in the name of enlightenment and moderation, but the people of Pakistan are prepared to render every sacrifice to maintain the country’s Islamic identity.
These views were expressed by speakers at a rally organized by the Jamaat-i-Islami outside the Karachi Press Club on Tuesday against rigged elections under government patronage.
Participants of the rally were holding banners, placards and were shouting slogans against the chief election commissioner and demanded his resignation.
Speaking then, the JI Karachi chief, Dr Mairajul Huda Siddiqui, said the way the sanctity of ballot papers were trampled in the local government elections throughout the country should have compelled the acting chief election commissioner to resign himself.
Dr Siddiqui, who is also a leader of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA), said the democratic process was being sabotaged by imposing fake election results in the country in order to establish the dictatorship of one man.
He said people were protesting throughout the country against the rigged elections and demanding fresh elections under an independent election commission, whose chief should be appointed in consultation with opposition parties.
Dr Mairaj claimed that in Karachi, activists of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement had taken control of over 70 polling stations, saying that when people contacted the army and Rangers against the rigging, the latter replied that they were just responsible for maintaining discipline outside polling stations and not inside them.
He said even then when the MQM failed to win seats, results were changed in the offices of returning officers.
The JI leader said that it had now been proved that fair elections cannot be held in the country in the presence of the present state machinery.
Allama Hasan Turabi said Aug 18 was the blackest day in the history of Karachi when the mandate of people was bulldozed.
