February 07, 2008	Thursday	Muharram 28, 1429

HYDERABAD, Feb 6: The Sindh High Court’s Hyderabad circuit bench on Wednesday directed the chief election commissioner, provincial election commissioner, assistant election commissioner, home secretary, provincial police officer and SHC registrar to file their comments within five days on a constitutional petition filed by five candidates of the Pakistan People’s Party for the national and provincial assemblies from Tharparkar district.

Petitioner Dost Mohammad Rahimoon is contesting for PS-63 (Tharparkar-IV) against Abdul Razzak Rahimoon of the PML; Sharjeel Inam Memon for PS-62 (Tharparkar-III) against the Arbab Abdullah, elder brother of former chief minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim; Imam Ali for NA-230 (Tharparkar-II) against former MNA Ghulam Haider Samejo, Pesumal PS-61 (Tharparkar-II) against Dr Rahim’s nephew Arbab Zulfiqar; and Dr Khatomal Jeevan for NA-229 (Tharparkar-I) Arbab Zakaullah, another nephew of Dr Rahim.

They contended that the former chief minister had committed illegalities in appointments, transfers and promotions of officers in the district during his tenure to rig the election.

They stated that Dr Rahim’s nephew Arbab Anwar Ali was the District Nazim and four of his relatives were taluka nazims.

They alleged that the district and municipal administrations were running the campaign of the PML candidates. The names of the PPP’s supporters had not been included in the voters’ lists, they alleged. They alleged that ghost voters had been enrolled in the lists.

The number of voters in areas under the control of the Arbabs had increased tremendously, they complained.

“On the other hand, the number of voters has decreased in the areas where the majority of the voters support the PPP. In Chachhro, there where 2002 voters in 1,477 but the number has dropped to 1,206 in 2007,” they said.

The petitioners said they had made several complaints to the Election Commission in this regard but no action had been taken despite directives to the provincial election commissioner to look into the matter.

They alleged that District and Sessions Judge Obaidullah Khan had been transferred and the charge of the post had been given to Additional District and Sessions Judge Zaheeruddin Jatt, who had worked as additional law secretary during Dr Rahim’s government.

District Police Officer Sajid Ali Shah had been posted in Tharparkar for the past eight years and he had been given promotion out of turn by the former chief minister, they said.

They submitted that the number of polling stations had been changed to discourage and anti-Arbab voters and in certain cases they would have to travel more than 15 miles for voting.