Ready for polls: PML-N to contest local govt elections in Sindh

Leader claims Sindh government has already started attempts to rig the elections.

KARACHI: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N] will participate in the upcoming local government elections in Sindh, announced the party's senior vice-president for Sindh chapter, Syed Shah Mohammad Shah.

Addressing a press conference at his residence on Monday, Shah alleged that the Sindh government had already started attempts to rig the elections, claiming the local administration was being used to conduct delimitation. "There is no role of the district election commission," he said, adding that the delimitation will be made public on May 30.

Speaking about possible alliances with other political parties, Shah said that the decision will be taken before the polls.

Shah was accompanied by other PML-N local government committee members, including Aslam Rahu, Shafqat Shah Sheerazi, Masroor Khan Jatoi, Humayun Khan, Sorath Thebo, Arbab Anwar, Kheal Das Kohistani and Dr Sham Sunder Advani. The leader said it was the priority of the PML-N government to restore peace in Karachi and other parts of Sindh. "We want peace across Pakistan," he said, adding that Operation Zarb-e-Azb had started showing positive results.



He said that foreign investment, especially from China, had been made possible by ensuring a peaceful environment across the country. "The Karachi operation isn't against any political party," Shah clarified, adding that political parties shouldn't provide protection to terrorists.

"I request the Sindh chief minister to announce May 12 as black day," he said, adding that it was the day when the entire city was made hostage by armed men.

Corruption

"There is bad governance and corruption everywhere in Sindh," said Shah. "Zulfiqar Mirza is only exposing the corrupt people now, but we have been raising these issues since a long time." Affirming his support for Mirza, Shah said he was on the right track.

He did not reveal why he had contacted Mirza’s family but clarified that his phone to former National Assembly speaker Dr Fehmida Mirza was simply a gesture of goodwill.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 12^th, 2015.