PML-F accuses PPP of pre-poll rigging in Khairpur Mirs

Party plans to lodge a complaint with the chief election commissioner۔


Our Correspondent July 18, 2012

KARACHI: The first complaint newly appointed Chief Election Commissioner Justice (retd) Fakhruddin G Ebrahim is likely to receive is from a coalition partner of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).

The Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F) has alleged that PPP leaders have started changing polling stations by relocating them in PPP-dominated areas in Khairpur Mirs and other districts in Sindh.

Kashif Nizamani, the chief organiser of the PML-F, told The Express Tribune that a meeting had been held at the Election Commission office about the upcoming polls. The leaders of all major political parties, including the PPP, had decided to make no alteration in polling stations that had been designated for the 2008 general elections.

However, Nizamani alleges that the PPP has started approaching the local district administration to change the polling stations to their areas. “Deputy commissioners actually make a proposal to the Election Commission to alter or establish a polling station in any area. They are using district machinery in their favour,” he said. .

“We are a coalition partner of government and we will protest over why the PPP has not taken us into confidence and is violating the decision made at the office of Election Commission,” he said. Nizamani said that they would go to Islamabad and lodge a complaint with Ebrahim.

“We hope that the new election commissioner will provide us justice,” the PML-F leader said.

On the other hand, PPP Sindh General Secretary Taj Haider said that that the PML-F leaders were not aware about modern technology being introduced by the current government, which would pave the way for a transparent election. “Following the new system there will be no significance of polling stations. We are shifting from manual to Electronic Voting Machine (EVM), a paper ballot containing the serial number, name of the candidate and the constituency and poll symbol.  A voter can cast their vote at other polling stations too,” he said.

Haider refuted Nizamani’s allegations, and said that the PPP considered transparent, fair and free elections as important. He said the PPP cannot think about carrying out pre-poll rigging.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 19th, 2012.

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