February 20, 2008	Wednesday	Safar 12, 1429

KARACHI, Feb 19: The Pakistan People’s Party has called for declaring the election results of NA-253, PS-118, 126 and 127 null and void.

Addressing a press conference at the Karachi Press Club on Tuesday, Syed Faisal Raza Abdi, flanked by provincial assembly candidate Abdul Hakim Baloch and PPP deputy information secretary Waqar Mehdi, claimed “massive rigging” took place in his constituency, adding that it was facilitated by the police and administration.

The PPP candidate said he would take legal action and produce incriminating evidence in court.

He said that the son of his chief polling agent, Sohail Siddiqui, who was also a polling agent, was killed by the activists of a rival party by hanging him from an apartment’s balcony. “The entire neighbourhood of Abbas Town is witness to the killing,” Faisal Abdi claimed.

He added that 37 of his polling agents are still missing and the results were changed overnight.

The PPP’s candidate for NA-253 said that his female polling agents were manhandled and mistreated by the Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s provincial assembly candidate, Faisal Sabzwari.

“Five cars carrying arms used by the activists of the MQM are in the possession of the Rangers, who had intercepted them in NA-253,” Abdi claimed.

Giving the details of the schools where, according to him, massive rigging took place, he said that Oxford, Falconhouse, Beaconhouse, Ali Ali and Chapal Sun City polling stations were encircled by armed activists of the MQM.

“Similarly, on the roof of the National High School, Gulshan-i-Iqbal, unusual activity was seen. When our men went over they found 6,000 to 7,000 bogus votes being stamped by MQM activists,” Abdi said.

He claimed they had caught eight fake presiding officers from his constituency who were facilitating the MQM.

Abdul Hakim Baloch said that an officer of good repute who was earlier the returning officer was sent on forced leave and a corrupt judge was posted as a returning officer in his place.

In Jam Mohammad Goth, Bhitaiabad, Chuto Gabol Goth, Safail and Juma Goth, polling staff was not sent. When a complaint was made, the returning officer complained that they were short of staff, he said.

Citing the government’s “connivance” in the rigging, Baloch said that they had caught an MQM activist with 500 bogus votes in Gadap Town, who was handed over to the Gadap police.

“However, on Tuesday Gadap TPO Mir Husain Lahri released the suspect,” Hakim Baloch claimed.