KARACHI, Aug 10: The Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) on Wednesday claimed that the Election Commission of Pakistan had failed to restrain violators of the code of conduct, and said that if the code could not be implemented, then it should be done away with.

Prof Ghafoor Ahmed, a central leader of the MMA and Naib Amir of Jamaat-i-Islami, told a press conference at Idara Noor-i-Haq here that the ECP was emphasizing on transparent elections on an equitable basis while a political party was using all unfair means in its election campaign in Karachi.

“Under the EC instructions, all local body candidates are bound to hold their election-related meetings indoors whereas the Muttahida Qaumi Movement has been holding public meetings outdoors for the candidates backed by it. “More flags of the MQM that the national flags are seen across the city,” he pointed out.

Prof Ghafoor, who was accompanied by JI’s city chief Dr Merajul Huda Siddiqui and Hafiz Mohammad Taqi at the press conference, remarked that the violators of the code of conduct seemed stronger than the EC, adding that the country was witnessing worst-ever pre-poll rigging in its history.

He complained that venues of polling stations had been selected without taking the opposition into confidence. He apprehended that gross manipulation in the election results also would be resorted to.

With the polling day approaching nearer, these unfair practices were gaining momentum, he claimed, and warned that the country had seen the longest period of martial law owing to such rigging in Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s era.

He alleged that the relevant authorities were reluctant to take action against the violators because they themselves were indulged in the violation. “If fair elections are held, we will accept the results, even if they are against us,” he declared.

In reply to a question, he expressed his pessimism about the army having any positive impact on the pre-poll situation, saying they would only follow orders from the higher authority.

Dr Merajul Huda Siddiqui told journalists that polling stations were being shifted from the localities where MQM feared defeat whereas polling booths were being set up in congested places which would make it difficult for voters to have an easy access. Similarly, he added, some polling booths had been shifted from the UCs where the MMA had registered a clean sweep in the previous election.

In this context, he made mention of a place in UC-8 Baldia Town where a polling station had been set up in the last election but the same had been transferred now to a place in UC-7, alleging that this had been done to benefit a particular political party.

Dr Siddiqui pointed out that credit of the projects initiated by the ex-city nazim, Niamatullah Khan, was being claimed by the Sindh government while the plaques with his name were being removed unlawfully from the sites of such projects.

“Although, the MQM has been given free hand in socio-political activities, it is astonishing to see that the party is fearful of Niamatullah Khan’s popularity,” he remarked.

He deplored that development schemes and projects were being announced on behalf of the Sindh government in complete violation of the code of conduct.

The election commission and NAB should look into such illegal practices, he said, and demanded that the opposition be taken into confidence in matters of posting of polling staff to avoid a devastating impact on the concept of free and fair elections.

He said that a list of the polling stations shifted without the consent of the opposition would be made public soon.

—PPI