KARACHI, Sept 24: Condemning the arrests of political leaders and activists in Islamabad and the Punjab, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) termed it ‘the worst political victimisation’ and part of the pre-poll rigging in the upcoming presidential election.

“We condemn the arrest of hundreds of leaders and cadres of the opposition political parties and it is part of the government’s plans to make General Musharraf’s election as the president an uninterrupted affair,” said HRCP secretary-general Iqbal Haider.

He was speaking at a press conference at the organisation’s Karachi office here on Monday.

Mr Haider said that President General Pervez Musharraf had ‘unleashed a wave of terror’ leaving no ray of hope for a free and fair presidential election.

He said that such government actions had made it clear that the upcoming presidential elections would be massively rigged and hugely a partial affair.

Despite assuming unlimited powers unto himself, Musharraf was afraid of giving his opponents a chance of even a faint resistance, said the HRCP leader.

He said that the spate of violence had not been limited to the opposition parties even the minorities had not been spared.

“A recent attack on a wedding party of Hindu minority amply proves it,” he said.

He also condemned police’s attitude towards French research scholar Ms Florence alias Farida Boryak, whose entire belongings including her research notes had been stolen at the shrine of Abdullah Shah Ashaabi in Makli last week.