Nazim accused of pre-poll rigging

Published December 6, 2007

JACOBABAD, Dec 5: The PPP candidate for NA-208 Mir Aijaz Khan Jakhrani, former MNA Muqeem Khan Khoso, Mir Hussain Khoso and Ms Aisha Khoso, have accused the District Nazim of Jacobabad, Begum Saeeda Soomro, of supporting her favourite candidate and close relatives who was being backed by the police headed by the DPO.

At a press conference, they said that she has announced different schemes for Jacobabad in her speeches at different election gatherings.

Mr Jakhrani said that DRO Jacobabad is an honest and straightforward man hence efforts were underway to get him transferred.

PPP leaders said that it was unfair that the district nazim who also happens to be mother of the caretaker prime minister, was using state machinery to get Maleeha Malik, a candidate for national assembly, elected. Ms Malik is the sister of caretaker prime minister Mohammedmian Soomro. To ensure free and fair elections, district nazim and government machinery should remain impartial, they demanded.

Apprehending massive rigging Mir Hassan Khoso, candidate for PS-15, alleged that in his constituency, favourite staff was being posted to back government-backed candidates.

They claimed that if transparent elections were held, their opponents would not bag five per cent votes as Jacobabad was the pillar of PPP.