GDA announces anti-rigging campaign after August 14

Ayaz Latif Palijo demands re-polls across Sindh

KARACHI: The Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA), an alliance of various anti-Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) political forces in Sindh, announced on Monday that it would start a campaign against alleged rigging in the general elections after the August 14 celebrations.

The decision to launch this campaign was taken during a meeting held at the residence of National Peoples Party chief Ghulam Murtaza Jatoi. GDA head Pir Pagara Sibghatullah Rashdi chaired the meeting, in which it was decided to stage sit-ins and organise rallies and demonstrations in various districts of the province after Independence Day.

"The people of Sindh have not given mandate to the PPP, but the latter has snatched it with organised rigging," said Ayaz Latif Palijo, the GDA general secretary, while addressing a press conference.  According to him, in the last ten years of its government in Sindh, the PPP plundered Sindh's resources and people rejected the party candidates in the general elections.

"The GDA candidates had won the polls in majority of the constituencies, but the results were forcibly changed, imposing corrupt leaders again on the province," Palijo said, adding that farmers, teachers, members of civil society and common people were in distress due to PPP's performance.



"PPP candidates for National Assembly and provincial assembly seats were afraid of seeking votes given their bad performance. Voters in many constituencies besieged them [during their campaign]," the GDA leader remarked. "How is it possible for the PPP to get more seats than 2013? This was made possible through massive rigging," he alleged.

According to Palijo, the polling agents of the GDA were ousted from polling stations and certified result forms were not provided to their candidates. "We reject the results and demand re-polls in the province," he said.

Palijo, who was flanked by Sadaruddin Shah Rashdi, also expressed dismay over delaying tactics by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in inquires against PPP leaders. He alleged that the FIA and NAB were avoiding arresting those who bungled billions of rupees in Sindh.

 Package for rural Sindh

Palijo said the GDA had high hopes from Imran Khan, the prime-minister-in-waiting. He advised Imran to announce a development package for rural Sindh and its farmers. "GDA supported PTI candidates in Sindh even before the general elections. Today, we have given mandate to Pir Pagara to make the decision about our support to the PTI in National Assembly," he said.

Sadaruddin, Pir Pagara's brother who has lost his home constituency in Pir Jo Goth, Khairpur to the PPP, said these were unique elections in the history of Sindh as both winners and the runners-up were not satisfied with results.