KARACHI, Dec 14: The Pakistan People’s Party has vowed to fight for each and every seat of the national and provincial assemblies in the forthcoming general election despite pre-poll rigging by PML(Q) and other rival forces.
Addressing a press conference at the Karachi Press Club on Friday, PPP central leader Sherry Rehman, deputy information secretary (Sindh) Waqar Mehdi and ex-MNA from Jacobabad Eijaz Jakhrani accused caretaker Prime Minister Mohammadmian Soomro, his sister Maleha Malik and her son Fahad Malik of having indulged in pre-poll rigging.
Mr Jakhrani charged that Mr Soomro had transferred District Returning Officer (DRO) Khadim Hussain Tunio and deputed Mushtaq Hussain in NA 208 Jacobabad whereas DPO Muneer Khuhro was promoted from a DSP to DPO to rig the election in favour of Ms Maleha Malik.
The PPP candidate said that he had sent many complains to the election commission in this regard but none of them had been entertained or addressed. Instead, he added, DRO Khadim Hussain Tunio, who had refused to be part of the pre-poll rigging, was transferred.
Ms Sherry Rehman reiterated the party’s resolve to take part in the election despite the rigging planned by the PML(Q) as it could not leave the field open to the unpopular forces.
She described the caretaker set-up as “an extension of PML(Q)” and said it had started pre-poll rigging on a massive level in Sindh and Punjab. “The PPP will resist conspiracy to steal the elections,” she declared.
She expressed her astonishment over the CEC’s attitude, pointing out that it was taking no notice of the large-scale transfers and postings of police and other officials as well as judges in the country, adding that the practice had started soon after the election schedule was announced.
She said that ministers in the previous government and the caretaker set up were openly using official machinery for in the campaigning for their favourites but the CEC was playing a role of silent spectator.
Ms Rehman urged the CEC to allow passport, driving licence or other document as a proof of voters’ identity for casting vote in the election.
Meanwhile, a document released by the PPP alleged that two PPP supporters from Jacobabad and Diplo had been killed by government agencies personnel and personal employees of former chief minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim.
PPP activist Chakar Khan Jakhrani was shot dead by police during a raid on his house in Jacobabad, it said, adding that a PPP activist, Noor Mohammad, was run over by a car bearing government number plate on Mithi-Badin Road near Kolai. The police refused to lodge an FIR of the incident, it deplored.
