KARACHI: Rejecting the results of Feb 8 polls, the Grand Democratic Alliance, Jamaat-i-Islami and Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazal on Tuesday demanded fresh elections and warned that they would not turn silent and the protest against the alleged rigging would continue with more force and intensity.

The three parties, which have recently joined hands after suffering defeat in the Feb 8 elections to protest against the ‘manipulated and rigged’ elections, went a step further and set up a joint committee to plan a ‘protest campaign’.

A large number of workers of the parties gathered outside the Karachi Press Club and staged a protest demonstration in line a province-wide call for observing the ‘black day’.

The opposition parties had given the call to observe the black day in protest against the police action to scuttle their demonstration planned in front of the Sindh Assembly on Feb 25 in protest over alleged rigging in the Feb 8 elections. Carrying placards and banners, they chanted slogans against ‘theft’ of mandate. Some protesters were also carrying black flags.

GDA, JI and JUI-F observe ‘black day’ against Feb 24 police action, poll rigging

Addressing the protest, GDA’s Dr Safdar Abbasi said that the people of Sindh would not accept the dual faced democracy with bogus results.

He said that the people had already rejected the politics of hatred and terror whereas those who had imposed criminal elements on Karachiites had done a disservice to Pakistan and the people of this country.

“The Feb 8 elections were not the elections, they were actually an organised and planned robbery which can never be accepted and forgiven,” he said.

“Instead of bringing stability and calm, these polls have further deepened instability. If they are accepted and not fixed, they would cause irreparable damage to the country. For the stability of the country, these elections should be declared null and void.”

In his address, Dr Osama Razi of the JI said that the people would extend the scope of protest if the authorities did not rectify results of the elections as per results according to Form-45s.

He said that the entire country was paying the price for what happened on February 8 in the name of elections. The protest, he said, will continue till its logical conclusion. He asked the Supreme Court of Pakistan to take notice of the alleged rigging.

“Those who are celebrating their fake victories are unable to face the public,” he said.

“Even the formation of the governments in the Centre and provinces has become a challenge for these mandate thieves. Every party which has won doesn’t want to share the burden of the government because it knows that any coalition which is based on fake mandate is not going to survive.”

Published in Dawn, February 28th, 2024