HYDERABAD, Sept 19: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement has told a two-member delegation of the US embassy and consulate general official that some parties were being backed by powers that be.

This was said by the deputy convenor, MQM coordination committee, Aftab Ahmed Sheikh, while talking to US officials who called on him at his residence here on Thursday.

The MQM candidates, Prof Khalid Wahab and Arshad Shah, were also present on the occasion.

Shaikh told the delegation that the Sindh Democratic Alliance, Mohajir Qaumi Movement and Pakistan Muslim League-Q were being backed by the government, which amounted to pre-poll rigging.

He said that two million votes of illegal immigrants had been enrolled in Sindh and called for removal of their names from the voter lists.

He said that the illegal immigrants, including Bengalis, Afghans and other foreigners, would have great impact on the elections.

He said that the MQM was being openly supported in strongholds of the Muttahida, which was evident from the fact that the MQM had opened its office at the entry point of Bhai Khan Ki Charhi where zonal office of the Muttahida was located.

It was resulting in tension in the area, he told the delegation and added that the local administration had been informed about it but no action had been taken so far.

Expressing reservations about the polling day, he said that it must be ensured by the administration that polling should not be conducted at a snail’s pace.

He recalled that usually the polling staff took at least five minutes for a single vote.

He said that polling must begin at right time and all the voters should be allowed to vote.

To a query of the US officials that why the election fever was missing, he said that the people were not sure whether elections would be held as per schedule.

He said that if there was low turnout of voters in the elections, it would not convey good message about the credibility of President Gen Pervez Musharraf.

The US officials also called on Hyderabad District Nazim Dr Makhdoom Rafiquzzaman at his office.

They were informed by him that there had been no interference in the election process by the district, provincial or federal governments.