HYDERABAD, Dec 16: Senior vice-chairman of the Pakistan People’s Party Makhdoom Amin Fahim said on Sunday that the party had decided to lodge complaints with the Election Commission of Pakistan against flaws in updated electoral rolls.

He told Dawn after addressing a press conference at the residence of Syed Ali Mohammad Shah in Gulistan-i-Sajjad that many party office-bearers who had seen updated rolls had expressed reservations over their transparency.

Besides, the party had received innumerable complaints about the number of voters in lists and duplication of names, he said, adding, that the party would take up the issue in every province and the Election Commission would be informed about it, accordingly.

About eleventh hour changes to the allotment of party tickets to candidates, Fahim said that it was a decision taken by the party chairperson. Benazir Bhutto asked him as well to contest for PS-44 of Matiari and he would now be contesting for that seat also, he said.

He said that the ticket for that seat had been awarded to his brother Makhdoom Rafikuzza-man but he offered it to him according to chairperson’s direction.

He dismissed the view that former Sindh chief minister would have a walkover against PPP candidates in Tharparkar and said that the party had fielded a strong team against him who would win seats. “You’d better ask me this question on the evening of Jan 8,” he said.

He said earlier at the press conference that legislation was needed to ensure constitutional cover for the judiciary so that no one could ever jeopardise its independence.

The PPP has always advocated honest and transparent polls and urged the government officials to remain impartial, he said. He opposed setting up improvised polling stations and advised the government to establish polling stations in government buildings.

He said that if PPP secured majority in parliament and was able to form government it would have to work with President Pervez Musharraf. If the party with majority votes was not respected then it would lead to another crisis, he said.

Fahim did not rule out seat adjustments with PML-N when asked if his party would strike deals with Nawaz group over seats.

On this occasion, chief of Otho community announced support for Ghulam Qadir Malkani, PPP candidate for PS-85 (Thatta).

PPP PUBLIC MEETING: PPP Chairperson Benazir Bhutto will formally commence election campaign in the province with address to a public meeting at Isra University ground in Hyderabad on Dec 17.