HYDERABAD, May 16: Jamaat-i-Islami secretary general Syed Munawar Hassan has rejected the appointment of a one-man commission to hold inquiry intoallegations of vote rigging in Karachi by-elections.

Speaking at a news conference at the Hyderabad press club on Sunday, he said that the one-man commission headed by a member of the election commission could not hold an impartial inquiry because the election commission itself was a party and involved in all malpractices that had taken place in Karachi on May 12.

He said that the chief election commissioner was informed prior to elections about the track record of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement and requested to adopt foolproof measures to hold elections in a transparent and peaceful manner.

He said that the commission had miserably failed to hold elections in an impartial and transparent manner adding that the so-called inquiry was just an eyewash. He observed that the May 12 elections in which innocent people were killed should serve as an eye-opener for the government and the people.

He claimed that the people of Karachi had totally rejected MQM and there was no sign of MQM voters till 4pm. He alleged that the state machinery and the Sindh governor moved into action and unleashed a reign of terror under the protection of police, Rangers and administration to fill the ballot boxes.

He conceded that the turnout was hardly 10 per cent but wondered how MQM candidates had received thousands of votes. He demanded that the inquiry should be conducted by the Supreme Court judges committee because the governor himself was involved in rigging. "Governor is the fountain head of lawlessness, bloodshed and extortion", he said.

He said that the people of Karachi by observing a peaceful strike on Friday had rejected violence. He claimed that Liaquatabad, Gharibabad and some other areas in Karachi had been besieged by the MQM and warned that if these people were not liberated, MMA leaders would personally enter these areas with thousands of people.

He ruled out the holding of fresh general elections, saying that Gen Musharraf would not get such a docile parliament and "sycophants" in the next elections.

Replying to a question about Indian elections, he said that only 10 people had died across the country while 10 people had died in Karachi alone in by-elections for only four seats. He stressed the need for developing such a political culture in Pakistan also.

PPP: Meanwhile, People's Party Sindh council member Usman Kennedy also condemned the murder of people in Karachi by-elections and held the Sindh governor and adviser to the Sindh chief minister on home affairs responsible for the bloodbath.