MIRPURKHAS: The Jamaat-i-Islam (JI) of Mirpurkhas and Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) of Digri taluka and other towns took out rallies and also held demonstrations on Tuesday against what they termed the pre-planned poll results and gross rigging in Feb 8 general elections.

Scores of workers and office-bearers of the JI Mirpurkhas led by Haji Noor Ilahi Mughal, Asim Shaikh and Masood Abbas marched through main roads and reached the Market Chowk. The protest leaders condemned the government and stated that the JI candidates had been defeated under a conspiracy by gross rigging through returning officers.

Carrying banners and placards, participants of the protest raised charged slogans in favour of their party’s demand.

Rejecting the election results, they threatened to launch a protest campaign throughout the country. They urged the chief justice of Pakistan to take serious notice into the matter and order reelection in the country without any delay.

Demand free and fair reelection

In Digri town, hundreds of JUI-F workers and office-bearers held a demonstration outside the Digri press club. Carrying banners and placards, the protesters were raising slogans against the government.

Talking to media persons, they blamed that the results had been changed under a conspiracy with the help of returning officers. They also rejected the results.

They urged the authorities to hold a fair and free reelection.

JUI-F workers staged protests in Sukkur, Jacobabad, Kandhkot-Kashmore and Ghotki districts against what they termed record rigging in the elections.

According to detail, the workers on the third consecutive day staged a demonstration in protest against rigging in the 2024 polls.

A large number of protesters took out a rally from Military Road to Dolphin Chowk where they observed a sit-in and raised charged slogans against the engineered elections.

Speaking on the occasion, Maulana Abdul Hameed Mahar, Maulana Zaheer Ahmed Mahar, Maulana Abdul Karim Junejo, Maulana Saddam Hussain Sabzoi and others said the JUI-F’s mandate had been stolen under a plan.

They added that actual polling results were changed to make favorable candidates successful.

Party candidate Mubeen Bullo’s victory in PS-22 was changed into defeat by massive rigging, they said.

They warned the higher authorities to issue a notification of Bubeen Bullo’s winning as per the actual polling result, otherwise, they would continue their protest.

In Jacobabad, JUI-F workers under the local leadership took out a rally from the district JUI-F office to the Jacobabad press club where they raised slogans against the alleged rigging in the elections.

Passing through different roads, first they staged a demonstration at DC Chowk and then held a sit-in at the local press club.

Speaking on the occasion, the speakers said that it was the worst rigging in the history of Pakistan.

They alleged that government officials and political agents were held hostage in the polling stations in NA-190, PS-1 and PS-2 of Jacobabad, and fake votes were polled and then the RO changed the actual results in Form 45.

The vowed to continue their protests unless their stolen mandate was returned.

In Kandhkot-Kashmore, the JUI-F workers took out a rally and staged a demonstration in protest against the alleged rigging in NA-191.

Talking to reporters on the occasion, local JUI-F leaders claimed that people had polled their votes in favor of the JUI-F candidates in NA-191 and others constituencies in Sindh, but the result had been changed.

They said their candidate Mir Shahzain Khan Bajarani had won the contest in NA-191, but the DRO had made PPP candidate Ali Jan Mazari successful.

They asked the chief election commissioner to respect the public mandate and issue a notification declaring all the JUI-F candidates successful as per the actual result, otherwise, they would continue their protest.

In Larkana, the JUI-F workers demonstrated outside Larkana Press Club. Carrying banners, placards and party flags, and chanting slogans, they alleged that the elections were held under a pre-planned conspiracy.

They alleged that massive rigging was committed in the elections and criticised the PPP for its 15-year rule in Sindh.

He said ballot papers in PS-2, 22,118,114,111,106, 21,18,9, 8, 7 and in NA-191, 192, 193,194, 196,197, 199 and 245 should be verified for the thumb impressions to unveil the whole truth.

Published in Dawn, February 14th, 2024