HYDERABAD, April 16: The Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarians, Hyderabad, has urged the chief election commissioner (CEC) to set up his camp office in the city to ensure complete transparency in the by-election for NA-219 scheduled for May 2.

PPP leaders, Zahid Ali Bhurgri, Amanullah Siyal, Aftab Khanzada, party candidate for NA-219, and Ali Mohammad Sehto told a news conference at Hyderabad Press Club on Sunday that everybody knew the ruling coalition had no scruples and ethics, and the role it played during the elections.

They called the recent local bodies elections a sham in which the ruling party had virtually held the administration, police and Rangers hostage.

Even the returning officer was afraid of performing his role. Under such circumstances, the May 2 by-election would be nothing short of “Jhurlu elections”, they said.

The leaders said the NA-219 by-elections would serve as a test case for the new election commissioner and would determine the course of next general elections.

They demanded the CEC appoint presiding officers and polling staff from other districts. Polling staff was always appointed from the education department, which consisted of unit and sector in-charges of this organization, they alleged.

They urged the CEC to ensure protection to the polling agents and voters who were harassed and intimidated by the said party.

The CEC should ban the presence of all the ministers and advisers in and around the polling stations, they said reminding him that the party had rigged by-elections held in Malir Karachi, Mithi and Jacobabad. Twelve innocent persons were killed during by-elections in Karachi, they added.

They said it was on account of these reasons that they were requesting the CEC to personally supervise the Hyderabad by-election.