Balochistan polls: JUI-F questions transparency of May 11 elections

Maulana Sherani accuses ‘Western powers’ of trying to plunge Balochistan into civil war.

QUETTA/ LAHORE:

The chief of the Balochistan chapter of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl and MNA-elect Maulana Muhammad Khan Sherani has said that the general elections in the province could not be termed free, fair and transparent.

“Transparency of the elections can be gauged from the fact that ballot papers were found in garbage dumps,” Maulana Sherani told a news conference in Quetta on Friday. However, he added that the JUI-F would respect the mandate of the people and would not obstruct the majority party from forming the next government.

According to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), the Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) leads in Balochistan with 10 seats, followed by Pakistan Muslim League (9), National Party (7), JUI-F (6), Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (5) and eight independent candidates.

Maulana Sherani said ‘Western powers’ wanted to create friction between nationalist and right-wing parties to pave the way for ‘civil war in the province’.

He feared that military operations would be carried out in Balochistan’s Pashtun- and Baloch-dominated areas in the name of ‘Talibanisation’ and ‘separatist insurgency’ at the behest of some ‘Western power’.  “Such acts would deteriorate the situation in the province,” he added.

Responding to a question, Maulana Sherani said his party had a clear stance on the Balochistan issue and it has made ‘commendable efforts’ for creating an environment of mutual consensus among various religious groups.

ANP MPA supports PML-N

The lone MPA-elect of the Awami National Party, Engineer Zamrak Khan Achakzai, announced his unconditional support for Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz on Friday, adding to the latter’s numerical strength in the provincial assembly.

Addressing a news conference in Quetta, PML-N’s Balochistan chapter President Sardar Sanaullah Zehri said positive results had been achieved by a six-member committee that held talks with the PkMAP and National Party.

Zehri thanked ANP’s central and provincial leaderships for their unconditional support, adding that Balochistan was facing a law and order crisis.

“I assure the people of Balochistan that I will deliver on all the promises I’ve made to them,” said Zehri.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 18^th, 2013.