ISLAMABAD, Feb 17: The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) on Saturday held a protest demonstration in front of the Election Commission offices against alleged rigging in the by-polls on two National Assembly seats in Sindh.

A large number of PPP activists gathered at the party’s central secretariat at 11am and marched towards the EC offices amid tight security. People’s Party Parliamentarians chairman Amin Fahim was leading the protesters.

The parliamentarians of the party including MNAs Raja Pervez Ashraf, Naheed Khan, Yousaf Raza Gillani, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Nayyar Bukhari, Zamurad Khan, Senator Safdar Abbasi and others were also present on the occasion.

The demonstrators were holding placards and banners inscribed with anti-Musharraf slogans besides criticising the role of the election commission in the by-election process.

The PPP leaders had scheduled to meet the chief election commissioner for presenting him their reservations over the alleged rigging in the by-polls, but the main entrance of the election office was found closed and guarded by security personals.

Addressing the protesters, Amin Fahim said the EC had failed to ensure free and fair elections in the two constituencies of Sindh.

“How can one expect free and transparent elections across the country under the umbrella of Gen Pervez Musharraf,” he added.

Mr Fahim reiterated that only an independent EC could guarantee fair and transparent elections in the country under a caretaker government by engaging all political parties in the process.

He said rigging in the two constituencies had betokened that the government would hijack the upcoming general elections. He warned that the wrong practice would result in colossal loss to democracy.

A large number of PPP’s elected representatives from Rawalpindi, including Mian Imran Hayat, Nasir Mir, Mian Khurram, Tahir Gondal and Atif Kiani led by former MPA Agha Riazul Islam, also took part in the demonstration.