Jamaat-e-Islami on Tuesday warned that the poll-rigging is most likely to trigger massive post-election agitations and the masses will be taking to the streets in protest. Besides, the Jamaat called the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) as stumbling block in the way of transparent and fair elections in the country on May 11.
"The ECP is extending all-out support to the former ruling coalition partners," said JI Sindh Chief Dr Mairaj-ul-Huda Siddiqui at a hurriedly called press conference at Idara-e-Noor-e-Haq. He was flanked by JI aspiring candidates - Rashid Naseem, Syed Muhammad Bilal, Naseem Siddiqui, Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman, Farooq Naimatullah and Syed Wajih-ul-Hasan.
Siddiqui said the ECP was creating hurdles for voters instead of facilitating them in exercising their right of franchise. He warned that rigging is most likely to trigger mass protests. He said the ECP measures will only help certain political parties to rig the polls, adding that "thappa mafia" has made the citizens hostage. He said JI lodged several complaints and set forth recommendations to the ECP as to how the holding of elections could be made transparent and fair but the electoral regulatory body did not pay any heed to it. He said the law says a 16-Grade officer is authorised to officiate as Presiding Officer (PO) but the ECP has appointed officials of Grade 1 and Grade 2 who have affiliations with political parties.
Reiterating the demand for calling Army to take over the city before elections, he said the appeal for the deployment of armed forces inside polling stations is also supported by 17 religious and political parties during All Parties Conference held at CM Sindh House. He said if the interim government did not station army personnel at polling stations, will badly hit the fragile democratic process.