HYDERABAD: Local lea­ders of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Pakistan (JUP) have app­ealed to the chief election commissioner, corps comma­n­­der, Rangers director general and provincial government to declare Pretabad and Phulelli ‘highly sensitive areas’ and deploy army and Rangers troops in and outside every polling station to maintain law and order during the local government elections.

Speaking at a press conference at the local press club on Tuesday, they alleged a nexus between the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and ROs to rig the elections.

Hyderabad district JUP president Haji Moinuddin Shaikh said all contesting parties must be made to strictly follow the code of conduct for the local government elections. He demanded removal of wall-chalking across the district.

Mr Shaikh stressed the need for ensuring the protection of life and property of all candidates and activists. He said that all those with criminal records be apprehended before polling day and offices of political parties be removed from all schools.

He claimed that some polling stations were going to be set up on private properties of MQM activists and candidates, and said his party opposed the move for the sake of fair election.

The JUP leader also alleged in the 2005 local government elections, terrorists and criminals were used in Hyderabad to keep voters away from polling stations. According to him, the same strategy was being adopted this time.

He stressed that local government elections must be held in a transparent and impartial manner so that every person could use their right to vote in a free and fair manner.

Another JUP leader, Arif Noorani, alleged that RO Qamar Shaikh was doing undue favour to MQM candidates because “he is a staunch supporter of the MQM and had raised invalid objections to the nominations of JUP candidates to reject their forms”.

JUP candidates for the slots of UC chairmen Ghulam Hussain Arain, Abdul Waheed Ajmeri, Liaquat Qazi and Raheel Ansari were also present.

Published in Dawn, November 11th, 2015