Rigging allegations: ‘Governor initiating development projects to gain political support’
Bajaur candidates say Shaukatullah Khan supporting his family’s campaign.
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Governor Shaukatullah Khan allegedly allowing development projects in the agency to gain support for his father and brother. PHOTO: EXPRESS
KHAR:
Candidates contesting from Bajaur Agency have accused the governor of pre-poll rigging.
Talking to journalists from the Khar Press Club, Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) candidate Sahibzada Haroon Rasheed, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz candidate Abdullah, Pakistan Peoples Party candidate Saeed Rahman, and independent candidates, Fatehur Rahman Mamoond, Muhammad Iqbal Khan and Haji Fazal Rahman, objected to the recent development schemes approved by Governor Engineer Shaukatullah Khan.
The governor is allowing development projects in the agency to gain support for his father and brother, who are contesting from NA-43 and 44, they claimed.
The candidates added that despite the ban on such projects by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), streets are being paved, and electricity and water supply schemes are underway in the headquarters on the directives of the governor.
“He has turned the Governor House into an election campaign office,” said one of the protesting candidates, alleging that tribesmen visit the Governor House on a daily basis where they get authority letters for the schemes. He added tribesmen also receive money for the campaigns.
The governor’s brother Hidayatullah is contesting from NA-44, while their father Haji Bismillah Khan is standing from NA-43.
During the conference, the candidates said the governor was not partial but was a political figure, who is influencing the election campaign. They said unless the ECP intervenes, elections in the agency will not be fair.
Candidates talked about the troubles they were facing in contesting against the governor’s family. They added that on his directives, even banners and flags were removed from villages. All political administration officials in the agency are also under the governor’s influence, they further alleged.
JI candidate Haroon Rasheed said they are sending a complaint to the ECP with all proof of their findings. “If the ECP does not take action, we will launch a protest,” he added.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 15th, 2013.
Candidates contesting from Bajaur Agency have accused the governor of pre-poll rigging.
Talking to journalists from the Khar Press Club, Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) candidate Sahibzada Haroon Rasheed, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz candidate Abdullah, Pakistan Peoples Party candidate Saeed Rahman, and independent candidates, Fatehur Rahman Mamoond, Muhammad Iqbal Khan and Haji Fazal Rahman, objected to the recent development schemes approved by Governor Engineer Shaukatullah Khan.
The governor is allowing development projects in the agency to gain support for his father and brother, who are contesting from NA-43 and 44, they claimed.
The candidates added that despite the ban on such projects by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), streets are being paved, and electricity and water supply schemes are underway in the headquarters on the directives of the governor.
“He has turned the Governor House into an election campaign office,” said one of the protesting candidates, alleging that tribesmen visit the Governor House on a daily basis where they get authority letters for the schemes. He added tribesmen also receive money for the campaigns.
The governor’s brother Hidayatullah is contesting from NA-44, while their father Haji Bismillah Khan is standing from NA-43.
During the conference, the candidates said the governor was not partial but was a political figure, who is influencing the election campaign. They said unless the ECP intervenes, elections in the agency will not be fair.
Candidates talked about the troubles they were facing in contesting against the governor’s family. They added that on his directives, even banners and flags were removed from villages. All political administration officials in the agency are also under the governor’s influence, they further alleged.
JI candidate Haroon Rasheed said they are sending a complaint to the ECP with all proof of their findings. “If the ECP does not take action, we will launch a protest,” he added.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 15th, 2013.