June 27, 2008	Friday	Jamadi-us-Sani 22, 1429

MUZAFFARGARH, June 26: Once Pakistan People’s Party’s (PPP’s) mini-Larkana, Muzaffargarh fell to the opponent in the by-election for PP-258, Jatoi, on Thursday. A PPP member of the National Assembly (MNA), however, pointed the finger at the Punjab government, accusing it of foul play.

Independent candidate Haroon Sultan Bukhari defeated PPP candidate Dr Zakaullah with a good margin of 4,000 votes. According to unofficial results, Mr Bukhari got 23,646 votes while Dr Jatoi could manage 19,733 votes. The seat was vacated by Qayyum Jatoi, who in the last general elections defeated Mr Bukhari with 300 votes.

In the general elections, PPP won all five NA and six out 11 PA seats.

Mr Bukhari told a press conference he had defeated three MNAs and five MPAs who were at work on the elections day. Mr Bukhari, who was a PML-Q hopeful in the Feb 18 elections, said anti-PML-Q sentiments after the assassination of PPP leader Benazir Bhutto had inflicted defeat on him last time.

He said he had struck back because of a massive development for the area in the last government.

The loser candidate is brother of PPP MNA Moazzam Jatoi and the cousin of another MNA and former district nazim Qayyum Jatoi.

Reacting on the result, PPP MNA Jamshed Dasti alleged the Punjab government had worked against the PPP candidate and helped Bukhari win the seat.

Talking to Dawn, Mr Dasti, who remained present in the constituency throughout the day, said the district coordination officer and the district police officer had worked for Bukhari as the latter had promised that after winning the elections he would join the ruling PML-N.

He said he had informed about the situation to PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani about a month ago.

He alleged PML-N leader Zulfikar Khosa and others had ordered the district administration to work against the PPP candidate.

MNA Qayyum Jatoi said the results were very shocking for him and the party. He alleged their supporters had not come out to vote for the PPP candidate because they had been terrified by the Bukhari group.

A voter from the area, Mushtaq Badani, said Qayyum Jatoi and Moazzam Jatoi had to face embracement in front of voters for being ignored in the cabinet. He said Mr Bukhari raised this point besides telling the voters Nawaz Sharif would give him a ministry in the Punjab cabinet.

He said the ministry factor played an important role in the defeat of the PPP candidate.