KARACHI, Aug 29: Former city nazim Niamatullah Khan has said that a nationwide agitation would be launched after opposition parties hold a conference on Sept 4 to discuss “widespread rigging” in the local government elections.

“Amir Jamaat-i-Islami Qazi Hussain Ahmed has contacted ARD leader Makhdoom Amin Fahim on the issue and the later agreed to attend the national conference, scheduled to be held in Islamabad on Sept 4,” Niamatullah told PPI on Monday.

He said that JI Karachi was waiting for the decisions and outcome of Sept 4th conference. “This is the reason for our low-key reaction to the rigging,” he said, adding that proposed agitation would start from Karachi.

Rejecting reports that Qazi Hussain is unhappy with him for “insufficient” election campaign of JI-backed Al-Khidmat Group in local government polls, Niamatullah Khan said that Qazi Hussain was happy and satisfied with his performance. He said that effectiveness of JI election campaign was evident as Al-Khidmat Group managed to secure around 28 union councils in Karachi “in spite of widespread rigging”.

The former nazim said that he would oversee the performance of new city government, scheduled to be elected in third phase of local government election, for which polling is to be held on Sept 29. “I would oversee their work, it is my right as former city nazim,” he said.

He claimed that if approached he would readily provide ‘guideline’ to the new city government. He was commenting on a statement by Sindh Local Government Adviser Waseem Akhtar, who reportedly urged ex-nazim to play his role in ‘guideline and advising’ the new city government.

“If they approach me I am ready to provide guideline but even if they don’t I would continue to play my role,” he said.

Niamatullah Khan said that he had served the city in an unprecedented way for four years and new nazim should complete all the development projects, initiated by his administration, on priority basis.

He said there were around 50 ongoing projects in the city. “Around 10 to 15 other projects are vital for the city including Mass Transit Programme and Hassan Square flyover,” he added. —PPI