Summary Opposition demanded polls should be held again under the supervision of the army.
KARACHI (Dunya News) – Opposition parties of Sindh based on 12 political entities, except for Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), on Saturday declared the first and second phase of the Local Government (LG) polls as massively rigged and demanded that a re-election should be held. The opposition stated that the earlier elections should be held as null and void and a new round of polls should be held under the supervision of the army and a biometric system for identification should be employed.
The oppositions rejection of the results was revealed during a joint press conference held at former Chief Minister (CM) Sindh Arbab Ghulam Raheem ‘s residence. The conference included leaders of Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F), the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), National People’s Party, former Chief Minister Arbab Ghulam Rahim and former Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) leader Dr. Zulfiqar Mirza. The opposition leaders remarked a neutral election process could not be held up until the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) is there.
Addressing the conference, Rahim stated that the opposition refuses to accept the election’s results of Sindh. Rahim further expressed that the current Sindh government had only managed to win the election by brazenly rigging the polls in every district of the province.
Speaking on the occasion, former Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) leader Zulfiqar Mirza said that seven Superintendents of Police (SP) had been designated in Badin on the day of the election for the sensitive polling stations. Mirza stated that these SP’s made every effort to influence the polls, but their attempts were thwarted by the Rangers. Mirza expressed his gratitude to the Rangers, especially Director General (DG) of Rangers.
Mirza has managed to secure 34 seats from Badin. Rahim congratulated Mirza on the win and on the tough time that he would be giving to the PPP. Rahim stated that the ECP had knowledge of the pre-election rigging along with the alteration in the boundaries of the constituencies.
The conference was also addressed by Shafqat Shirazi, Sheheryar Meher and other leaders of the opposition.
