BADIN: The general secretary of the Sindh chapter of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl, Maulana Rashid Soomro, on Wednesday pledged support for estranged Pakistan Peoples Party leader Dr Zulfikar Ali Mirza who planned to stage a sit-in on Thursday to protest killing of Pakistan Muslim League-Functional activists and rigging in the first phase of local government election.

Maulana Soomro who met Dr Mirza at a seminary in Tando Bago lauded his struggle against corruption and misrule in Sindh and discussed with him seat adjustment in the second phase of LG polls at district, taluka and union council level.

He condemned the killing of PML-F workers in Daraza Sharif in Khairpur on election day and demanded early arrest of culprits involved in the tragic incident.

Speaking at several public meetings in Badin, Golarchi, Pangrio, Tando Bago, Kario Ghanwar, Kadhan and other towns, he said that his party’s victory of 161 seats, which had made it the second biggest party of the province, was a slap across the faces of rulers.

He called for foolproof security for the second phase of the LG polls and warned that if any harm came to candidates of his party or allies, the Sindh government would be responsible for the ensuing consequences.

He lashed out at MNA Faryal Talpur and other PPP leaders and accused them of buying votes. The Election Commission of Pakistan should take notice of the violation of code of conduct, he said.

Maulana Soomro blamed the chief minister for creating a mess in the province and announced that he would contest election against Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari in Larkana as well as in PS-57 Tando Bago in the next general election.

Protest against raid on JUI-F leader’s clinic

SUKKUR: A large number of JUI-F activists took out a rally in Jacobabad on Wednesday in protest against a police raid on the private clinic of the party’s district president Dr A.G. Ansari and arrest of workers.

The JUI-F leaders Dr A.G. Ansari and others who led the rally said that vengeful actions were being taken against the JUI-F, which had always struggled against sectarianism and was a large political party.

They said the way armed policemen carried out the raid on the clinic of Dr A.G. Ansari was not acceptable and warned that if the vengeful activities did not stop they would hold a strong protest.

They demanded release of JUI-F workers and action against police officials who participated in the raid.

Mirza to stage sit-in against rigging in LG polls

Estranged PPP leader and former Sindh home minister Dr Zulfikar Ali Mirza announced that he would stage a sit-in on Thursday in Badin to register protest against killing of PML-F activists on election day and large-scale rigging in LG polls.

Dr Mirza told journalists on Wednesday that thousands of people who supported him for his bold stand against corrupt rulers would participate in the sit-in at DC Office Chowk on Karachi-Badin road to register protest against the tragic killings and abuse of state power to rig polls.

He said that he would never allow anybody to rig elections and vowed to rid people of Badin of ‘corrupt cronies of Asif Ali Zardari’ by inflicting a humiliating defeat on them.

Earlier, late on Tuesday night Dr Mirza, along with provincial chief of PML-N Mohammad Ismail Rahu, visited several wards of Badin and other areas and requested people to vote for their joint candidates.

Mr Rahu said that they would wipe out the PPP from the district and warned the Sindh government to stop pressure tactics against rival candidates, or else they would launch a massive protest movement against the government.

Published in Dawn, November 5th, 2015

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