Sindh Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim has assessed voters turnout at over 38 percent in Sindh and said that it could be still higher at some places where there had been higher vote casting.
Addressing a post-election press conference at the Chief Minister House here on Friday, he pointed out that at some places a Nazim was elected on winning five, six or seven thousand votes while at some places a Nazim won his seat with 500 or 900 votes.
He showed his satisfaction over law and order situation during the first phase of local bodies elections and said these were held peacefully in a free, fair and transparent manner with exception of some minor incidents.
In Karachi, he said, the law and order situation remained outstanding and this totally nullified the warning of PPP leader Syed Qaim Ali Shah that people should come out of their houses with extreme care and in security.
He said some other political leaders warned of bloodshed in Karachi but people saw that not a single sparrow died in this city and no loss of life occurred. However, in the pre-election period a candidate belonging to PML (F) had lost his life at the hands of PPP activists in Mirpurkhas and cases were registered against the assailants.
He recalled that in the last elections in 2001, two persons had lost their lives and 56 were injured while in the bye-elections the violence-related deaths stood at 11 with injuries to over 50.
Dr Arbab said prompt action was taken when a couple of cases of rigging were reported.
The Chief Minister pointed out that there was more violence in Kandhkot where supporters of Awam Dost panel took away the ballot boxes. This was done by those who were so loudly clamouring against rigging in the election.
He said people have registered wins by securing even 500 or 900 votes. Had there been rigging in the election, they would have secured higher number of votes.
He pointed out that opposition had started clamouring six months before elections about rigging and bloodshed. But nothing of the sort happened.
He described the PPP's claim of 12 percent voter's turn out as ridiculous.
The Chief Minister told a questioner that candidates, of Khushhal Pakistan panel have secured more seats from interior of Sindh while Haq Parasts emerged triumphant in Karachi.
When his comments were sought on the visit of MQM leader Dr Farooq Sattar to Idara-e-Noor Haq, Dr Arbab described the same as a welcome gesture and said that when he (Arbab) was elected as Chief Minister he had gone to the side of PPP leaders.
He said Dr Farooq Sattar's visit to Idara Noor Haq would prove first step towards the development of this city. He told a questioner that he would certainly visit Bilawal House if invited. But it has very high iron gates.
To a question, he said if an SHO in Kandhkot has been arrested by the army for rigging action would certainly follow.
Replying to another question, he said that Khushhal Pakistan Panel massively won seats in Mirpurkhas, Tharparkar, Sanghar and Thatta districts.
When asked what would be the development strategy of the Provincial government in the backdrop of victory of panels supporting the present government, Dr Arbab said that such strategy would be chalked out after election of Nazims.
He said if good Nazims would come up, they would find the support of provincial and federal governments, which in turn would result in an improvement in the conditions of people of the province.
To a question, he said, the technical mistakes, which occurred in the delimitation of Gkotki district where elections were postponed would be rectified.
He said that details about previous Nazims had been collected and this process would continue even if new Nazims take over. He said if anyone found involved in irregularities, he would be certainly held accountable.
Replying a question, Dr Arbab said that President Pervez Musharraf had been emphasising upon better health and education facilities in Sindh. He said the conditions all over here were totally bad and it would take sometime to rectify the things.
He said at present our priority is irrigation and law and order and once there was satisfactory improvement in these sectors higher priority would then be given to health and education.
Regarding second phase of local bodies elections, the Chief Minister said that now when the whole camel has made an exit, the tail will also move out.
He said that there has been greater -fear about Karachi but first phase elections here passed off peacefully and there would now be no problem in rest of the districts during the second phase elections.
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