DG Khan by-polls: Khosa accused of pre-poll rigging

Leghari demands Rangers deployment for transparent elections today.

DERA GHAZI KHAN: “Senator Zulfiqar Khosa is using resources of the district administration and police to canvass for his PML-N candidates for by-polls in PP-243 and PP-245,” Imtiaz Leghari, an independent contestant for PP 243 by-poll scheduled for Monday (today) said on Saturday.

He requested the chief election commissioner to order Pakistan Rangers officials to take charge of the two constituencies to ensure transparent elections.

Leghari is contesting the election against PML-N’s Hassamuddin Khosa, son of Zulfiqar Khosa.

DCO Muhammad Shahid and DPO Saleem Chaudary rejected the allegations that they were assisting Khosa in the election campaign.

The DPO said as many as 1,700 policemen would perform security duties in the two constituencies on Monday.

Talking to The Tribune, Senator Zulfiqar Khosa also rejected the pre-poll rigging allegations as baseless. He said if Leghari had evidence in support of his claims he should approach the election commission with it.

The two Punjab Assembly seats had gone vacant after Zulfiqar Khosa (PP 243) and Mohsin Leghari (PP 245) were elected to the Senate.

PML-N’s Mirza Talpur and PML- Q’s Sardar Muhammad Khan Leghari are contesting on the PP 245 seat.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 7^th, 2012.