February 19, 2008	Tuesday	Safar 11, 1429

MATIARI, Feb 18: The senior vice-chairman of the Pakistan People’s Party Makhdoom Amin Fahim alleged on Monday that he had received reports from different parts of the country that voting process had been rigged at polling stations across the country.

Talking to a group of journalists at his residence in Mr Fahim, who is contesting for NA-218 Matiari-cum-Hyderabad (Old Hyderabad-I) and PS-44 Matiari, said that he was receiving reports of torture and harassment of party workers and supporters at polling stations in different parts of the country.

There were also reports of rigging as well as ouster of polling agents of the party’s candidates from several districts of Sindh, he said. He said that despite violence and negative tactics, the party’s candidates, workers and supporters were handling the situation in a disciplined manner.

To a question about the party’s line of action if rigging was proved, Mr Fahim said that it was premature to say anything at the moment.

Makhdoom Jamiluzzaman, the president of PPP’s Hyderabad chapter and Mr Fahim’s son, agreed with his father saying that rigging had been committed at various polling stations in Matiari district.—APP