KARACHI, July 29: People’s Party Parliamentarians on Friday accused the Sindh government of picking up Awam Dost candidates prior to scrutiny of their papers to prevent them from appearing before returning officers.

According to the PPP monitoring committee chief, Taj Haider, Awam Dost candidate for councillor in Qambar city’s UC-1, Sikandar Gopang and ADP candidate for Qambar UC-2, Nazeer Gopang, were picked up by the police from their houses prior to the scrutiny of their papers.

In a similar fashion, PPP activists and town elders Arbab and Fida Hussain Gopang were arrested by the Qambar police in order to prevent them from canvassing for ADP candidates.

In Thatta, Abdul Qayoom, a brother of ADP candidate for nazim in Bachal Gugo, Taluka Mirpur Bathoro, and Thatta district, had complained to election authorities that ASI Shams Magsi along with other people came to his house at 2am in the morning.

Not finding him there, they threatened inmates that Qayoom had gone out and would not return today.

Later, they went to his Otaq and besides giving the same message they also broke open Otaq and took away papers of his lands.

Mr Qayoom was saved because he had shifted to another place but he apprehended danger to his life and had requested protection.

In UC Jhok Sharif, ADP candidates for lady councillors Rahmat, wife of Rasool Bux Jalalani, and Fatima, wife of Khambo Jalalani, were forced to withdraw their nominations.

In Shikarpur, a new pretext had been found to disqualify ADP candidates.

In UC Baroon, ADP candidate for naib nazim was disqualified under the allegation of belonging to the banned militant organization, Jaish Mohammad. The candidate was approaching the Sindh High Court to clear his name.

Sindh Chief Minister Arbab Rahim’s brother Arbab Abdul Khaliq had been openly working for Lashkar Tayyaba while the Chief Minister’s own links with extremist groups, including Pakistani Taliban group’s Khalid Mehmood Soomro, were common knowledge, the PPP alleged.

In Dadu, federal minister Liaquat Jatoi was accused of campaigning in the district for government candidates and using government vehicles, staff and police escort.

He was issuing direct orders to police to punish those who are ADP candidates. In Jamshoro, a son of Mr Nawab Palari, whose village was surrounded by the police a week ago claims that 30,000 rupees were taken away from his pocket by the police.

Awam Dost candidate for nazim of UC Dhoro Naro, Mr Hussain Mallah, who had been kidnapped by police was set free last night.

Mr Mallah was in a very bad shape physically and had reported that the police had handed him over to some private persons.

He had been badly tortured and pressurized to change his loyalties.

It was earlier reported that Mr Umeed Ali Dhoonkai, Awam Dost candidate for nazim of UC Samaro was fired upon and seriously injured allegedly by Dilawar Bunglani of the government and his two sons three days before the filing of nomination papers.