JHANG, Sept 14: The government has started ‘worst kind of pre-poll rigging’ as the third phase of local elections gathers momentum. This was alleged by Syed Asad Hayat, brother of federal Kashmir affairs’ minister Makhdoom Faisal Saleh Hayat, a candidate for district nazim slot, at a press conference at his residence on Wednesday.

Mr Asad Hayat lashed out at chief minister for allegedly transforming the election in the district into a highly partial exercise by allowing the PML-backed former district nazim Sahibzada Sultan Hameed to use the district nazim house for running his campaign.

Mr Hayat also accused the Punjab government of placing official vehicles and district government staff at Sahibzada’s disposal, besides giving him free telephone and fax facility.

He said such blatant violations of election code had turned the whole exercise into a farce, and the ruling party candidate was placed in an advantageous position. Mr Asad Hayat also alleged that the entire state machinery including the DCO and the DPO, were busy running Sahibzada’s campaign.

He also criticized state minister for education Ghulam Bibi Bharwana for accompanying Sahibzada to the office of the returning officer for filing papers, terming it a code violation.

To a question Mr Asad Hayat said though most of the MPAs were favouring the official nominee, he had the support of a vast majority of UC nazims, naib-nazims and councillors.

However, DCO told Dawn an outgoing district nazim could use the official residence for three months after the completion of his term. He also denied allegations regarding running the campaign of PML-Q nominee.

Meanwhile, six candidates have filed their nomination papers for the district nazim slot. They are, Sahibzada Sultan Hameed, Sahibzada Nazeer Sultan, Syed Asad Hayat, Mr Qaiser A Sheikh, Sheikh Sheraz Akram and Abdul Qudus Awan. Those who filed their papers for Jhang tehsil nazim slot are, Sheikh Mohammad Akram, Sheikh Mohammad Yaqoob, Amanullah Khan Sail, Rashda Yaqoob, Sheikh Nawaz Akram and Shahid Minhas.

For Chiniot tehsil nazim slot Syed Zulfiqar Ali Shah, Sardazada Zafar Abbas, Mehr Aftab Ahmad Haral, Syed Mohd Afzal Shah and Amir Hussain Syed filed their nomination papers. For Shorkot, Madhulal Husain, Akhtar Abbas Bhawana, Jawad Ali Khan, Khizar Hayat Kathia and Khalid Ghani filed their papers, while for Ahmedpur Sial slot Talib Raza Khan Sial, Najaf Abbas Khan Sial, Sahibzada Tahir Sultan Sahibzada Sultan and Ghalib Sultan filed nominations. — Correspondent