PPP, JI continue to exchange barbs over mayoral polls

Both refer to May 9 events and each party's reaction to the vandalism witnessed, subsequent crackdown

KARACHI:

Sindh Labour and Human Resources Minister, Saeed Ghani, has said that Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) won elections in Karachi only under two conditions in the past that is when Muttahida Quami Movement boycotted the polls or during the dictatorial regimes in the country.

Ghani, who is also PPP Karachi president, stated this while speaking at a press conference here at the committee room of the Sindh Assembly on Monday. He was flanked by PPP's candidates for Karachi Mayor Barrister Murtaza Wahab, Deputy Mayor Salman Abdullah Murad, and party's nominees for the posts of chairman in 13 towns of Karachi.

Ghani said that all the concerned quarters in the country condemned May 9 violent incidents and demanded action against the elements involved in vandalism. In contrast, JI spoke in favour of the same elements, he said.

Wahab, said Karachiites had rejected the politics of hatred.

Jamaat denounces PPP 'tactics'

Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Karachi chief Engr Hafiz Naeemur Rehman has said that all the efforts by the PPP to compel political opponents for switching their loyalties are useless because any vote against the party policy will not be counted in the mayoral elections in Karachi and the person will also be disqualified in line with the Supreme Court of Pakistan (SCP) verdict.

Addressing a press conference held at Idara Noor-e-Haq. He said that the PPP has been demonstrating the worst kind of fascism against its political opponents, particularly the PTI in order to install a jiyala mayor in the city.

He strongly lambasted the PPP for the crackdown - in the pretext of May 9 mayhem - aimed at harassing elected UC chairmen in Karachi so they could be compelled to support the PPP in the mayoral elections.