KARACHI, Aug 13: The Pakistan People’s Party and All-Pakistan Minorities Alliance on Saturday criticized the harassment of the members of the minorities and their candidates in the local body elections, and demanded that they be provided security.

Speaking at a press conference on Saturday, the PPP (Minorities wing) Anwer Laldin and APMA leader Michael Javed said since the local body elections were being held under the joint electorate basis, the members of the minorities were being harassed and candidates were being forced to withdraw from the contest.

Citing an example, they said a women’s polling station which was earlier located at St Michael School in Essa Nagri has been shifted to the Milk Plant.

The shifting of the polling station may cause problems to minorities women in casting their vote, and many of them may not be able to cast their vote.

They also criticized the attack on Pakistan People’s Party leader Yusuf Talpur in Mirpurkhas.

Mr Laldin and Michael Javed also demanded that a high-level inquiry be instituted into the incident and stern action be taken against the culprits so that a sense of safety and security be restored among voters.