JI accuses Sindh govt of rigging in LG election, stages protest
Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) accuses the Sindh government of rigging in LG Election, and announces to stage protests!
JI Karachi’s chief Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman while addressing a press conference at the party’s city headquarters Idara Noor-e-Haq said the people of Karachi voted for Jamat e Islami as the biggest party in the city.
Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman added that JI had raised objections on the population census and led a campaign for delimitations, voter lists, and authority in the local bodies set up.
“We were stripped of many authorities in the LG Act 2013,” Rehman said.
Criticizing the government over the LG election results, the JI’s city head said that the ruling party plundered JI’s mandate while conniving with some individuals of the ECP and returning officers.
“The chief minister [Murad Ali Shah] first congratulated us on victory and then changed the results,” Rehman said and questioned what should JI comprehend from it.
“This mandate would have been over 50% if there was no conspiracy or plunder,” he added.
Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman claimed that they saw that the staff and polling material wasn’t complete.
He also lauded the Election Commission for playing a “brave” role by holding the LG election on the scheduled date and also that the electoral body’s preparation and arrangements weren’t up to the mark.
Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman added that JI accepted the LG election in order to start the process of Karachi’s development.
JI Karachi Chief claimed that the results were changed by the West deputy commissioner and Shah Faisal assistant commissioner.
Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman further stated that JI will stage sit-ins outside the offices of the ROs who changed the results, and the biggest protest will be at the office of the deputy returning officer where the most rigging took place.
“We have the result issued by the current presiding officer,” Rehman said, adding that the Sindh government and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari have been asked to fix the flawed results.
He warned of approaching the ECP and courts if the government didn’t issue the correct results.
Rehman said that JI chief, Haq, has spoken to the chief election commissioner in this regard.
“Karachi’s mayor will be from JI,” Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman added.
Rehman concluded by saying that JI is open for talks with every party but first the counting of JI’s seats should be done properly.
LG election results
As per the results issued by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) is in the lead by winning 93 Union Councils out of 235.
JI stands second with victory in 86 UCs, while the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) came third in 40 UCs.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) won in seven UCs.
Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam in three and Tehrik-e-Labbaik Pakistan in two.
Meanwhile, Muhajir Qaumi Movement in one UC and independent candidates won three UCs.
On the other hand, JI ameer Siraj-ul-Haq, while talking to the media on Monday night, said that the delay in the release of results by the ECP was raising doubts.
Siraj-ul-Haq said that JI emerged as a big party in Karachi’s LG polls, adding that the polling agents’ results are clear that JI has a majority.
He appealed to hold protests in all big cities of the country against the rigging.
He said that the results of other parties were also being engineered.
JI’s spokesperson Qaiser Sharif also said that the party has given a call for countrywide protests from today (Tuesday).
He added that Haq has also called a meeting in Mansoora to plan a strategy regarding the grass-root level elections in Karachi.
