ISLAMABAD, May 2: Punjab PPP Information Secretary Naveed Chaudhry on Monday alleged that the government had started rigging the forthcoming local government elections even before the announcement of its schedule. Speaking at a news conference, Mr Chaudhry claimed the government had started pressurising the potential candidates to change their loyalties.

Responding to a question, he said the contradictory statements of the government functionaries regarding the local government elections showed the growing frustration among the government circles. He challenged the government to lift ban from political activities and the PPP would prove its strength.

Mr Chaudhry said the government had failed on all fronts and the only solution to the present crises was holding of free and fair elections under the supervision of an independent election commission and human rights organizations.

The PPP leader criticized the statement of ruling Pakistan Muslim League (PML) chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain that Asif Zardari wanted to reach Islamabad on the shoulders of army. He said in fact, the PML had itself formed the government through a deal and after obtaining concessions from the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

Mr Chaudhry said the PPP would soon provide proofs of the corruption of the present rulers. He said the country was under one-man rule of a military general. He said the judiciary was being misused by the rulers.

The PPP leader said the government had marginalized small nationalities and created a sense of deprivation among the people of all the four provinces.

He accused Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Ilahi of putting party workers into jails who had come to Lahore from all the four provinces to receive Asif Zardari.

The PPP leader asked human rights organizations to take notice of the inhuman treatment meted out to the party workers. He claimed that some 350 party workers were still languishing in various jails.