'Fair elections not possible without military presence'

The ANP chief appealed to the CJ to investigate the decision of the EC which he said was biased and political.

KARACHI: Awami Natioanl Party (ANP) Chief Shahi Syed on Tuesday said that the decision of the Election Commission (EC) to delay polling for PS-94 to October 17 was based on political and partial motives.

While speaking to media in Karachi, he said that the Sindh government gave orders of the delay to the EC without consulting the ANP. “This one-sided decision to delay the polling has made us suspicious of fair elections being held,” he said.

Syed said that the ANP had informed the EC that the law and order situation in the region was not such that there was a need to delay the election so close to the day of polling.

PS-94 by-polls were supposed to take place on September 22. However, after the murder of Dr Imran Farooq, the Sindh government requested the EC to delay the elections. Responding to this the ANP chief said that target killing is not a new phenomenon, but has rather been continuing for the past three years.

He stressed that terrorists have vowed to destroy peace in the city and demanded that the army be present during the polling for PS-94 to ensure security for the voters, as the rangers have not been given enough power and the police cannot enter the areas where the polling is supposed to be held.

He said that if the government wants to hold fair elections on October 17, all polling stations should be placed under the watch of military and soldiers should be deployed at all stations.

The ANP chief appealed to the Chief Justice of Pakistan to investigate the decision of the EC which he said was biased and politically motivated.

He said that the Sindh government has proved that the civil administration has failed to keep the law and order situation under control.

PS-94 was left vacant after the assassination of MQM MPA Raza Haider and the two main contestants for the seat are believed to be the MQM and the ANP.