Pakistan People Party, Sindh describing the results of first phase of local government polls as 'engineered' has demanded of the Election Commission (EC) to declare elections held in the province, including Karachi as null and void and hold it afresh.
Speaking at a hurriedly called press conference at Bilawal House Karachi on Friday, Sindh PPP President, Syed Qaim Ali Shah alleged that unprecedented and worst kind of rigging had been witnessed on Thursday. "We reject results of all the districts," he said.
"If government wanted to place hand-picked people in these elections, they can do it, but must keep in mind that we would give them tough time and continue to take part in election process to expose the government and its allies," he said.
"We are democratic people and do not want to take law in our hands, while the parties in power have totally negated the election process and destroyed the new system. They have badly damaged the sanctity of vote, which shows government wants people not to cast votes and stay at homes.
Qaim Ali Shah said administration, police and poling staff were deputed on advice of Quaid League and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM). "At many places, new electoral lists updated after 2002 were not provided. At various places, stamped ballot papers have been seized.
In Jacobabad, ruling party MNA Salim Jan Mazari himself with help of police force and his supporters, stamped all ballot papers at police station Kandhkot and when Bijarani, his son and around 3,000 supporters reached at police station, SHO and Saleem Mazari escaped, he said.
Despite aware of rigging, senior police and Rangers officials registered FIR against the Awam Dost people," he told reporters.
Same tactics were applied in other areas of Kashmore, Mirpurkhas etc. "We complained this to all concerned authorities, including EC, Rangers, police, but none of them heeded to our complaints nor were investigated."
In Umerkot, Advisor to Sindh Chief Minister Jadam Mangrio pulled out our agents and got registered false cases of attempt to murder against them. Later, they stamped all ballot papers there. Our all main candidates and workers were arrested, Shah alleged.
In Thatta, Tharparkar, Mirpurkhas, Umerkot, Badin rigging was committed by government backed candidates, he said claiming that in Umerkot and Mirpurkhas we were winning 80 percent of seats.
MPA Sassui Paleejo, also present at press conference, said she was attacked at many poling stations and other places in Thatta district allegedly by the men of Aijaz Ali Shah Sheerazi, Shafqat Ali Shah Sheerazi, Fiaz Ali Shah Sheerazi and Riaz Ali Shah Sheerazi.
They along with their armed men attacked on our candidates and supporters and many of them are still admitted at various hospitals while around five are in critical condition at ICUs, she said.
False FIRs were registered against our candidates. We were threatened of lives by the Sheerazis, who cast bogus votes by stamping ballot papers in Mirpur Sakro, Thatta, High School Gharo, she alleged adding that at Gharo poling station, female candidate Shahnaz Joyo was attacked and was not allowed to cast even her own vote.
She was pulled outside the station. Voter list was changed in Shafiabad Gharo, Gujjo, while ballot papers were already stamped, she blamed.
At Pir Mohammad Hadi poling station, teenage girl of Rind tribe was harassed, Sassui said.
PPP Sindh Secretary General, Nafees Siddiqui appreciated firm commitment of the party workers and lauded role of media in exposing rigging. "Everyone knows that elections were not fair and transparent." Government is targeting PPP, as its Chairperson Benazir Bhutto has refused to cooperate with it, he added.
Regarding remarks of President Musharaf that PPP is loosing its base in Sindh, he said President should allow Benazir Bhutto to come in Pakistan and hold elections, then he would understand vote power of PPP. Makhdoom Jamil-uz-Zaman also shared his feelings and incidents he witnessed in interior of Sindh.
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