KARACHI, March 21: Elected representatives of Malir Town, belonging to the Al Khidmat group, alleged on Sunday that the Muttahida Qaumi Movement had threatened Malir Town Council members Imtiaz Khokhar and Zaman Jokhio with dire consequences and asked them to support its candidate in the election of Malir Town Nazim.

Speaking at a press conference here, Malir Town labour councillor Tajammul Hussain said both Imtiaz Khokhar and Zaman Jokhio were elected from the platform of Al-Khidmat group in the local government elections.

"They informed us that they would not turn up on the election day as they had been threatened by the Muttahida which has asked them to support the candidate of its choice," he claimed.

Mr Hussain said when Zaman and Imtiaz did not attend the town council session on March 17, the Muttahida men disrupted the proceedings and forcibly took away the TMO in the presence of Rangers.

He claimed that when Rangers were asked to intervene, they refused and replied that they would act only if police asked. Tajammul Hussain said later relatives of Zaman Jokhio and Imtiaz Khokhar were kept at the sector office of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, due to which they had to give statement against the Al Khidmat group.

He said a large number of development schemes were being carried out in the town, including construction of roads and educational institutions and laying of sewerage lines, which had put the Muttahida's political future in the area in danger.

"This is why they are trying to create obstacles in the way of Al-Khidmat and blocking the progress of the area," he said. He said town offices were lying closed for the last many days. He alleged that a tense situation had been prevailing in the town due to the presence of "miscreants" of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement in large numbers.

He said those not happy with the development work were trying to create hurdles in the way of the city government. He demanded of PresidentMusharraf and NRB chief Danial Aziz to intervene into the matter and save the local government system. -PPI