KARACHI, July 29: After a joint meeting of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Pakistan and Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam here on Friday, leaders of the two religious parties said that hiring of private security guards for the upcoming local government election was a conspiracy hatched to take over polling stations.

They also alleged that the opposition-backed candidates were being harassed and threatened by the government and its allied parties in order to get the pro-government candidates elected unopposed.

The meeting discussed matters regarding local bodies election in Karachi and the political scenario in the country.

The two parties also announced that their respective groups, Al-Khadim and Insaan Dost, would not contest against each other in Karachi.

Both the parties described extension in the date for returning the nomination papers as ‘unnecessary’, and said that by taking such a step, the local bodies election had been made a game.

They also expressed concern over the alleged violation of constitution, law and democratic rules allegedly by the government and termed the recently amended Anti-terrorism Act a ‘black law’ aimed at turning Sindh into a police state.—PPI