February 10, 2007	Saturday	Muharram 21, 1428

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HYDERABAD, Feb 9: The People’s Party Parliamentarians Sindh President Syed Qaim Ali Shah on Friday described as ‘misconduct’ the Sindh chief minister’s participation in a PML candidate’s election campaign for by-elections for PS-71 seat and said it ran counter to the Election Commission’s code of conduct.

Addressing a news conference in Kotri at the residence of PPP candidate for the same seat Dr Sikandar Shoro, Mr Shah urged the chief election commission (CEC) to send independent observers to oversee by-elections. The party’s confidence in the elections had been shattered by lack of action on part of CEC over their complaints, he said.

The past experience indicated that Saturday's by-elections would not be free and fair, he said pointing out to the transfer of DCO Jamshoro before by-elections.

The party had time and again informed the commission about violations of election rules but it appeared the commission had not taken them seriously, he said.

He said that it was well-known that no posting or transfer could take place without the commission’s permission after election schedule had been made public, and alleged that the officer who had been given additional charge of DCO was a controversial person.

The provincial election commission had informed him that the DCO's powers had been done away with but certainly the explanation did not hold because someone had to exercise the authority, he said.

Mr Shah criticised the chief minister's OSD Dr. Badar Channa for ordering use of batons against PPP activists during a rally of PML candidate on Thursday in Kotri and said that "Chief Minister is taking part in elections in flagrant violation of rules. It’s a clear misconduct on his part," he said.

He alleged that the PML rally was put together by government officers and hired people brought from Karachi on "rental" basis. The CEC should send independent people to observe by-elections in Karachi and Jamshoro, he demanded.

He said that PPP had formed media and legal advisory teams for the by-polls. "Changes have been made in polling stations' locations while polling staff have been changed. I hope that district returning officer (DRO) will try to ensure fair elections," he said.

He claimed that union council nazims, who could not be made polling agents, had been appointed as poling agents and cited the example of UC Nazim Roshan Burro. That was the reason his party was demanding that the powers of local government nazims should be suspended before general elections, he said.

To a question about Malik Asad Sikandar's reported "silent support" for PML candidate Mr Shah said that the journalists should rather put the question to him (Mr Sikandar).

The party had asked him not to violate his oath as he was supposed to act neutral after having been elected in party-less local bodies elections, he said.

"Why is the chief minister using district nazim in elections and claiming his support when he is bound not to take part in party-based elections? Malik Asad may be harassed but we don't want him to participate in this process," he said.

Mr Shah could not come up with any answer when asked why Malik did not speak out that he was not supporting PML. The PPP was dependent on people's support and it never relied on "influential persons" alone but if they wanted to join the party they were welcome, he said.

He condemned the killing of six party activists in Attock and said that ever since Gen Pervez Musharraf had taken over the government he had been committing excesses against the party and its chairperson.

MNA Dr Fahmida Mirza said that the by-elections were in fact a test case for the government. "The manner in which the by-elections will be held will set the pattern for general elections.’’