ISLAMABAD, July 21: Members of the election monitoring committee of the People’s Party Parliamentarians (PPP) will meet acting Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Justice Abdul Hamid Dogar on Friday (today) to apprise him of the “pre-poll rigging being carried out by the rulers” with respect to local government elections. This was announced by the committee chairman, Senator Sardar Latif Khosa, while speaking at a joint news conference with members of the committee Senator Enver Baig, MNA Syed Nayyar Hussain Bokhari and party spokesman Nazir Dhoki here on Thursday.

The PPP leaders said the committee had been constituted on the instructions of the party chairperson, Benazir Bhutto, to monitor the LG polls and to apprise the foreign diplomats and human rights organizations of ‘rigging’ in the elections.

The PPP leaders alleged that the Sindh government had started victimizing the party workers and candidates in the province. They said even the houses and shops owned by PPP workers and leaders were being demolished in Dadu, Thattha and Nawabshah.

They also claimed that the police were being used to victimize PPP leaders and activists in Sindh. They alleged that former district nazim of Dadu Malik Asad Sikandar was also being victimized by the police.

The PPP leaders said the government was openly violating the code of conduct announced by the Election Commission for the LG polls.

They said recently, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz announced a Rs1 billion grant for uplift projects in Hyderabad at a public meeting which was also attended by the government-backed candidates. Similarly, they said, Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Ilahi announced a grant of Rs100 million for Rawalpindi while accompanying the candidates being supported by the ruling party.

The PPP leaders also criticized the government for creating new districts and tehsils in Punjab and Sindh, and termed the move pre-poll rigging.

They said they would inform the CEC about all these ‘irregularities and violations’ and present documentary proof. They also criticized the government for allowing members of the assemblies and ministers to contest the LG elections which were being held on non-party basis.

They said everyone knew about the political affiliations of the members of assemblies and the ministers so how could the government claim that it was holding the elections on non-party basis. Similarly, they said, transfers and postings of the government employees were taking place despite a ban imposed by the CEC in this respect while announcing the election schedule.

Replying to a question, the PPP leaders said as a matter of policy, the party would not allow any of its members of the parliament or provincial assembly to contest the LG elections.