KARACHI, July 17: Pakistan People’s Party on Sunday accused the military-led regime of having formed ‘kidnapping squads’ to prevent Awam Dost candidates from filing nomination papers for the upcoming local government elections.

It also condemned the Saturday incident in Qambar where several PPP leaders, including leader of the opposition in the Sindh Assembly Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, MNAs and MPAs, “had been barred by armed gangs sent by the regime from entering Ghaibi Dero.” 

In a statement, PPP Sindh chief Syed Qaim Ali Shah, head of the party’s Monitoring Committee Taj Haider, and MNA Sherry Rehman claimed that they had received information about formation of ‘kidnapping squads’ by the military regime. Comprising police and PML-Q henchmen, the squads now existed in many districts of Sindh to kidnap Awam Dost candidates before they could file their nomination papers, the PPP leaders alleged.

According to the Bilawal House spokesman, Jameel Soomro, such information was received from Tharparker, Dadu, Jamshoro, Nawabshah, Qambar-Shahdadkot, Badin, Thatta, Tando Allahyar, Tando Mohammad Khan, Matiari, Shikarpur, etc.

The PPP statement, which has also been put on the Internet, said that the opposition candidates were being kidnapped to ensure election of the regime’s cronies unopposed.

The PPP leaders claimed that Chief Minister Arbab Ghulam Rahim had met ‘commanders’ of these squads who included head of the Tharparkar Squad Inspector Fazil Rehman.

“The Umerkot kidnapping squad tried to kidnap Awam Dost candidate Abdul Hakeem Dhonkai from Samaro and shot his nephew upon resistance. Likewise, Nawab Khan Palari, Aslam Palari, Samargul Palari, Dur Mohammad Palari, Haji Adam Palari, Barkat Palari, Pandhi alias Haji Allah Dino Palari, Ameen Chachar, Layar Burfat, Mehar Burfat, Haji Rasool Barejo, Haji Khairo Barejo and Khadim Hussain Chachar were kidnapped from Jamshoro district. Qambar Solangi was picked up from Dadu district while Khanu Lund, Sadhu Meghwar, Makhan Lund and others were kidnapped from Tharparkar. All these kidnappings have been committed to restrain these Awam Dost candidates from contesting the local bodies elections. Hence, the Election Commission should take notice of it and order remedial measures,” they demanded.

They said that such modus operandi was at work for many days and in some cases those kidnapped were later implicated in false cases when they refused to toe the regime’s line and switch sides.

The PPP leaders said that such gross and massive pre-poll rigging was going unnoticed by the Election Commission of Pakistan while the regime had gone on a rampage and broke the all previous records.

Meanwhile, leader of the opposition in Senate Raza Rabbani has strongly condemned the Qambar incident and said that the provincial regime had made certain localities ‘no-go areas’ for the liberal opposition parties while the regime’s cronies and extremists had been given an open field to move and address public meetings.

Senator Rabbani criticized the military regime for converting the country into small fiefdoms where police and other law enforcing agencies had no writ and armed gangs rule the areas on their whim.

He demanded immediate action against all those involved in the said incident and also asked the Election Commission to reopen the no-go areas as in such circumstances the holding of free, fair and transparent elections would remain a distant dream.

The Sindh PPP women wing has also condemned the government for using state machinery in the local bodies election and harassment of party activists, especially women, thereby preventing them from taking part in the election and forcing them to change their loyalty.

A meeting held at the People’s Secretariat with Ms Nargis N.D. Khan in the chair took strong notice of the alleged pre-poll rigging in the province. It also deplored the government for allegedly using Zakat funds in its campaign.

Addressing a news conference MNA Ms Nafeesa Raja MNA and MPA Shazia Marri accused chief minister of diverting Zakat funds to the ruling party’s election campaign. They claimed that Rs10,000-20,000 was being disbursed to each person who would commit casting vote for a government candidate.

Ms Marri cited several examples where ministers and other government functionaries were using official vehicles in electioneering.

The meeting adopted several resolutions demanding withdrawal of false cases against Benazir Bhutto and Asif Ali Zardari and calling on the government to allow them to return home.

One of the resolutions said that political victimization could not prevent the party leaders and workers from taking part in the local bodies’ elections.

Those present at the meeting were MNAs Rubina Qaimkhani and Nafeesa Raja; MPAs Sharfunnisa Leghari, Nuzhat Pathan, Humera Alwani; and other women activists.