Two independents complain of police harassment

Two independent candidates alleging police harassment have requested the Chief Election Commissioner and Chief Justice of Pakistan to provide security and allow them to participate in the elections.

Mirza Faheem Baig Mughal, a resident candidate of Latifabad No8, who submitted his nomination papers as an independent candidate for the seats of NA 219 Latifabad and PS 63, and Abdul Majeed Bhatti, a resident candidate of Rehman Town Phulali, have reported police harassment.

Mughal has submitted his nomination papers as an independent candidate for the seats of NA 219 Latifabad and PS 63, and Bhatti as an independent on the seats of PS 62 and PS 63 included in NA 219.

They have sent separate requests to the Chief Election Commissioner, Chief Justice of Pakistan, Chief Justice Sindh High Court Karachi, DIG Hyderabad, SSP Hyderabad, SHO Police Station A Section and Police Station Pinyari and Director Human Rights Hyderabad.

The application submitted by Mughal states that he has submitted his nomination papers as an independent to participate in the general elections from NA 219 and PS 63 and while submitting his nomination papers he was busy in his election campaign.

He said that engagements that on the night of December 22, at around 12:30am, cops from A Section police station and some men in civvies came to my house. "I was not at home at that time," said and added that the "cops banged the door loudly and hit the door with sticks to frighten and intimidate me without any reason."

He continued that his wife told the police that Mughal was not at home, they s asked her to send my minor son out. "To which, my wife refused"

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During this time, the people of the neighborhood gathered,. The same officials, standing in front of Mughal's house brandishing weapons, took some photographs and made videos as if to send to and left after some time.

The petition states that this kind of despicable and illegal and unconstitutional action after submission of nomination form is grossly unfair and excessive and beyond the law, which requires immediate notice, because there are still more stages of the Election Commission of Pakistan to come and if during this time "I or any of my family member beside recommender, proposer and supporters suffer any loss, then SHO Police Station A Section and concerned District Police will be responsible for it. They should be bound not to spread fear and allow me to participate in the election according to the constitution."

On the other hand, the petition submitted by Abdul Majeed Bhatti, a resident candidate of Rehman Town Phulali, who filed his nomination papers as an independent, has made similar allegations saying that in my absence, Panyari police officials came to my house and Knocked on the door loudly and beat the door with sticks and batons and took photographs to intimidate and harass me. The official left, on gathering the area residents. It has been requested in the petition that the petitioner be allowed to freely participate in the election, conduct the election campaign and provide him with security.

Sources say that both the candidates in question belong to MQM London, in which one applicant has also gone missing three times.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 25^th, 2023