NAUSHAHRO FEROZE, Aug 10: Candidates of the Awam Dost panel from UC Dalipota, Kehkot, Mithiani, Kot Bahadur and Bhorit have accused police of compelling opposition candidates to quit the contest.

They demanded that the local body elections be held under the supervision of army.

Speaking at a press conference here on Wednesday, ADP candidates for nazim posts, Ali Sher Bhurt, Bhudal Malik, Habib Kori, Shakeel Raja and Ahmed Nawaz Bhurt, said police were harassing ADP candidates and their relatives and supporters.

They said DCO Nazar Mohammad Kalhoro sealed a petrol pump of ADP supporter in Dalipota town on the plea that pump’s metre was not correct.

They said the Moro police kidnapped ADP candidate for general councillor UC Deparja on Tuesday.

Pir Kamal, a candidate of the ADP from UC Naushahro Feroze, said a woman was threatened of depriving of her husband, Amin Solangi, of job and she was compelled to quit contest.

He said an ADP candidate for general councillor post in UC Kor Hassan was tortured and his father was implicated in a false case while his brothers Ali Mohammad Isran and Hezbollah Isran were arrested.

An ADP candidate for Nazim UC Kahkat, Habib Korai said ADP councillors in Moro, Nazeer and Mumtaz Langah, withdrew from the contest and joined the Khushhal Pakistan Panel in presence of former district nazim Masroor Jatoi.

Taufiq Soomro, an ADP candidate for councillor, was pressurized through his brother assistant mukhtiarkar and he withdrew.

MNA Syed Zafar Ali Shah and MPA Abdul Haq Bhurt said despite ban on transfers and postings during election process, DPO Naushahro Feroze made several transfers of police officials facilitating the rival group.—BoC