Election rigging: BNP-M women protest ‘poll fraud’

QUETTA:

The women’s wing of Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) took out a rally and staged a protest demonstration outside Quetta Press Club on Monday against the alleged rigging in the polls and tampering with the results.

It was for the first time in recent political history that such a large number of Baloch women came out on the streets, challenging the legitimacy of the elections.

Addressing the protesters, BNP-M women’s wing central secretary Jamila Baloch along with Sania Baloch, Rashida Baloch, Zaibun Nisa, Musrat Baloch, Asima Baloch, Zeenat Baloch and others said that the Baloch nation had acquired the capability to resist exploitation and therefore, the Baloch women had taken to the roads against the “poll fraud”.

They said that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had promised to conduct free and fair elections in Balochistan but the 65 years old exploitative establishment snatched the right of expression of the Baloch people and through a well-thought-out conspiracy, altered the results of the polls to make BNP-M unsuccessful in the elections.

They appreciated the stand of Sardar Akhter Mengal, saying he was making efforts to bring peace and prosperity in Balochistan and end all atrocities.

They said in order to insult the mandate of the masses, a pro-establishment ethnic party was declared successful even in Baloch-dominated constituencies with the aim of snatching the right of representation of the Baloch people, adding that BNP-M will not allow politics to be played in the name of Afghan refugees.

They said that the purpose of protest was not to acquire power or to enter assemblies but it was to tell the world how the Baloch people were deceived in the name of elections.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 21^st, 2013.