KHAIRPUR, Aug 19: Former District Nazim Nafisa Shah has said that the first phase of local body elections was conducted amid bloodshed, rigging and harassment of opposition candidates and voters.

Speaking at street-corner meetings in Khairpur city on Friday, she said presiding officers were working for government-backed Khairpur Dost Panel, particularly in Faiz Ganj and Khairpur talukas.

She alleged that supporters of the Awam Dost Panel were being threatened not to come out of houses on the polling day.

She said the government had spent billions of rupees on local body elections unnecessarily if they were bent upon committing so much rigging after creating harassment among people and opposition candidates.

She said there was no need of such elections if government-backed candidates would have been declared elected.

MNA Manzoor Wassan and MPA Nawab Wassan said the first phase of elections seem to be a rehearsal of Gen Pervez Musharraf’s referendum.

Speaking at corner meetings in Kot Diji on Friday, they said after successful rigging in the first phase, the government allied parties including the Khairpur Dost Panel have been encouraged and become confident for receiving same help which was extended from the government side.

PROTEST: Farmers from tail-end areas of Faiz Nahar Wah, Sobhodero taluka and two canals of Thari Mirwah taluka continued protest on the third consecutive day on Friday.