ISLAMABAD, Oct 2: Acting secretary-general of Pakistan People’s Party, Mian Raza Rabbani, on Wednesday asked the chief election commissioner to take notice of government’s interference in the election process.

In a letter written to CEC Irshad Hassan Khan, the PPP leader pointed out incidents of government’s involvement and patronage of the candidates of the “king’s party.”

He attached press clippings with the letter informing the CEC about the incidents of government’s illegal involvement in the elections process with a view to benefiting Pakistan Muslim League (Quaid-i-Azam) and Sindh Democratic Alliance.

Mr Rabbani wrote that the governor of Sindh addressed public meetings organized by PML-QA and SDA.

He said that on Sept 30 the governor visited Majedi and had lunch with Himat Kumario, father of Zulfiqar Kumario, candidate of PML-QA for PS-I, Shikarpur-I.

In Shikarpur, the governor had tea with SDA President Imtiaz Sheikh, a candidate of the National Alliance for PS-II, also present was Maqbool Sheikh, a candidate of the alliance for NA-202, he said.

The governor spoke at the gatherings and called upon the people to vote for the candidates who would support the policies of President Gen Musharraf, he said.

Mr Rabbani said Arbab Wazir Ahmad Memon, candidate of People’s Party Parliamentarians for NA-238, and Haji Shams Memon, candidate from PS-86, were booked in an FIR by the Thatta police. He said the FIR also involved 150 PPP workers. The incident occurred when the supporters of Ayaz Ali Shah Sherazi, a candidate of the king’s party after surrounding an election office of a PPP candidate raised inflammatory slogans, he said and added that the police refused to register an FIR on complaint by the PPP candidate.