May 06, 2008	Tuesday	Rabi-us-Sani 29, 1429

RAWALPINDI, May 5: Former federal minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed on Monday announced that he would contest by-election from Rawalpindi.

He criticised the government for postponing the by-polls by two months, saying the opponent political parties had realised their defeat in view of the prevailing skyrocketing prices.

Speaking at a news conference at his residence, Lal Haveli, Mr Rashid called upon the people of Rawalpindi to take lesson from the ‘installed’ victorious candidates who betrayed them after getting votes and opted for retaining their hometown constituency.

“Keeping in view the disappointment of Rawalpindi people at the hands of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) leader Makhdoom Javed Hashmi, I have decided to contest election from NA-55,” he announced.

“I don’t want my constituents to fall once again to another outsider Aitzaz Ahmed and I challenge him that the people would reject him in the larger interest of the future of the city,” Mr Rashid, who was outvoted from both NA-55, NA-56 in the February 18 elections, claimed.

He said political parties were undermining the residents of Rawalpindi by awarding tickets to outsiders.

He asked the residents to reject what he termed installed candidates.

Mr Rashid said May 12 would decide the fate of the coalition parties, adding the PML-N would cease to be a coalition partner due to the ‘undemocratic’ attitude of its leader Nawaz Sharif. He said restoration of judges was nothing but a tool of political parties to hoodwink the people.