December 27, 2007	Thursday	Zilhaj 16, 1428

ISLAMABAD, Dec 26: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has lodged several complaints with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) about pre-poll rigging.

It even gave the names of governmenat and judicial official involved in the election campaigns of what it called the King’s party.

Chairman Election Monitoring Cell, PPP, Senator Sardar Latif Khosa in a complaint said in one instance a school teacher Zulfiqar Ali Norio, appointed as Presiding Officer in Kaloi Male Polling Station, was compering public meeting of the King’s party.

Maula Bux Bajeer, Office Superintendent in DRO office Mithi was on the stage chanting slogans in favour of Arbab Rahim. Dilawar Otho, another government teacher in Tharparker district addressed the public meeting and recited poems in favour of Arbab Rahim.

Razak Dars, a HST in Tando Bago tehsil, also addressed the same public meeting. Aziz Dero, District Naib Nazim of District Badin also addressed the same public meeting. Anwar Bhoot, a Primary School Teacher at Kaloi, wore the PML-Q uniform and raised slogans. He is also incharge of the PML-Q office in Kaloi. District Nazim Tharparker Arbab Anwar also addressed the public meeting.

Senator Latif Khosa also gave a list of Nazims whose relatives were contesting elections in Punjab.

In a separate complaint, he asked the ECP to instruct Pemra to immediately lift the ban on the electronic media, Senator Khosa, wrote,

“Pemra has imposed a ban on live coverage of public atherings/meetings. Such prohibition during elections is illegal, wholly unjustifiable and totally unwarranted.

The People of Pakistan have a right to listen to the leaders of Political Parties and form their opinion before casting their votes. Obviously in the short span of time media is the best way for the Parties to reach out to the people all over the country. Apparently the clamp is to camouflage the meager crowd being drawn by PML-Q so that the People of Pakistan cannot compare the thinning out of the ‘Kings Party’ with the millions thronging the PPP ‘Jalsas’. Senator Khosa has also accused police of interfering with the electoral process by intimidating and harassing the PPP loyalists.