HYDERABAD, Aug 9: Leaders of the Al-Khidmat group (women wing) have alleged that several candidates for the post of councillor were forced by the Muttahida Qaumi Movement to withdraw from the local body elections.

Speaking at a news conference at the press club on Tuesday, the provincial nazima of the group, Talat Zaheer, Shahnaz Baqai, Fakhrunnisa and Mehnaz Amir said that women candidates of the Al-Khidmat group were being subjected to harassment.

They said a woman candidate, Yasmeen Naz, who had filed nomination for the post of councillor from UC-7 Latifabad was forced by the MQM people on Aug 4 to accompany them to the court. They said she was ‘kidnapped by the MQM hooligans’ from her house in the absence of her husband.

They said the next day the candidate narrated the entire story to the returning officer who advised her to approach the high court as the time had expired.

They said a candidate for the post of general councillor from UC-4, Rehana Malik, was brought to the court and forced to withdraw from the contest.

Leaders of the Ittehad-i-Millat said they were alert and immediately produced the candidate before the returning officer who accepted her nomination form.

They said the husband of candidate, Mohammad Sagheer, was tortured by the MQM people at his house.

They said many such incidents had occurred in other UCs.

They demanded that the election commission should provide protection to candidates and ensure holding of elections in a peaceful manner.

They demanded that the retirement clause in the election rules should be deleted to foil the designs of those elements who were using force against candidates to retire from the contest.

They urged the adviser to the federal government, Ms Nelofar Bakhtiar, to take notice of excesses against the women candidates.