PESHAWAR, Aug 21: The Pakistan People’s Party has accused the NWFP governor for misusing state machinery in favour of ‘king’s party’ and influencing district and tehsil Nazmeen to join the Pakistan Muslim League (Q).

A spokesman for the PPP claimed that during his visit to Dera Ismail Khan, NWFP governor Syed Iftikhar Hussain Shah held a meeting with the district and tehsil Nazmeen and members of various political parties and urged them to join the PML (Q).

In  a statement issued by the party’s secretariat  on Wednesday, the spokesman claimed that the NWFP governor was interfering in the electoral process. “Governor’s visit to D. I. Khan  speaks the government’s partiality and confirms  our apprehensions about the unfair government role,” he added.

He said the misuse of state machinery and forcing people to join the PML (Q) was tantamount to pre-poll rigging. In this situation it had become imperative for the European Union observers to ask the government to ensure a fair play in the elections, he added.

In a separate statement, PPP provincial chief Khwaja Mohammad Khan Hoti warned that any attempt of rigging the elections by the government would aggravate the political crisis in the country. Mr Hoti demanded of the Election Commission to take concrete measures and ensure holding of a free, fair and transparent elections.

He said PPP was the only ray of hope which could steer the country out of socio-political crisis and put it on democratic track. The elections were a move towards the restoration of democracy, but the PPP would oppose any attempt to rig the polls, he added.

The misuse of state machinery, draconian laws and pre-poll rigging by the government could not deter PPP workers to run the electioneering for party candidates, he added.

Mr Hoti said successive rulers had tried to divide and finish the PPP, but they had failed in their designs owing to the massive support behind the PPP. The unity among the political forces was inevitable for putting the country on democratic path, he added.

He underlined the need for creating a conducive atmosphere for the elections wherein political culture could flower without any hindrance.