ISLAMABAD, Sept 23: The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) on Friday condemned the government for, what it called, massive rigging and manipulation in the local government polls and vowed not to yield to dictatorship under any circumstances.

These views were expressed during a meeting held at the party’s secretariat here. The meeting, presided over by PPP general-secretary Jehangir Badar, was attended by the party’s provincial presidents, senators and MNAs.

Those present on the occasion included senators Raza Rabbani, Safdar Abbasi and Farhatullah Babar, and MNAs Raja Pervez Ashraf, Naveed Qamar, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Yousuf Talpur, Naheed Khan and Shery Rehman.

The participants of the meeting were of the view that manipulated power transfer to the grass-root level was fraught with dangers to the federation, undermined social cohesion and bode ill for the future of democracy in the country.

The meeting took stock of the situation as to how “rigging” was done through splitting up of districts, illegal transfers of officials despite ban, forcing candidates to change loyalties, disqualifying candidates just a few days before polling, violation of election code, snatching of ballot boxes, pre- stuffed ballot boxes, kidnapping of candidates and misuse of state funds.

It also welcomed the European Union report which alleged that the local government elections were marred by rigging.—Our Reporter