Arbab group to stage sit-in in Tharparkar from November 10
The DRO has declared one-fourth of the 614 polling stations in the district 'very sensitive'
Arbab Ghulam Rahim. PHOTO: ONLINE/FILE
HYDERABAD:
The Arbab group of Tharparkar with the support of several mainstream political parties will stage a continuous sit-in in the district from November 10.
They said that the demonstration will not end unless their demands regarding the rectification of the alleged pre-poll rigging tactics are accepted and they are assured of the deployment of army personnel.
Led by former Sindh chief minister Arbab Ghulam Rahim, Arbab Anwar Jabbar, a local leader of the group, and minority MNA Ramesh Kumar Vankwani announced the protest on Saturday while talking to the media. According to him, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf, Jamaat-e-Islami, Pakistan Muslim League -Functional, Qaumi Awami Tehreek, Ghausia Jamaat of Shah Mehmood Qureshi and other parties will join them in the sit-in. The Arbabs belong to the Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz.
"A majority of the polling stations have been set up in the autaks [guest houses] of [Pakistan Peoples Party] PPP men," claimed Jabbar, alleging that the district returning officer (DRO), returning officers and assistant returning officers are all assisting the PPP to rig the polls.
The DRO has declared one-fourth of the 614 polling stations in the district 'very sensitive'. Another 200 have been put in the category of 'sensitive' polling, taking the total to 365.
During the 2013 general elections, violence erupted in several polling stations. At least one person was killed and thousands of ballot papers were either burnt or stolen. The Election Commission of Pakistan held re-polling with army deployment three weeks later in 47 polling stations, in which, 42,156 voters were registered.
Vankwani accused the DRO of selecting the PPP sympathisers and supporters for duties of presiding, assistant presiding and polling officers. "The DROs have not responded to any of our myriads of complaints."
Their demands include restoring the old polling stations, deploying army and Rangers and assigning the election duty to impartial staff. The electoral contest will be held on 64 union councils in Tharparkar district council, five wards in Mithi municipal committee and 26 wards in six town committees. Some 510,876 people are registered to vote.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 9th, 2015.
The Arbab group of Tharparkar with the support of several mainstream political parties will stage a continuous sit-in in the district from November 10.
They said that the demonstration will not end unless their demands regarding the rectification of the alleged pre-poll rigging tactics are accepted and they are assured of the deployment of army personnel.
Led by former Sindh chief minister Arbab Ghulam Rahim, Arbab Anwar Jabbar, a local leader of the group, and minority MNA Ramesh Kumar Vankwani announced the protest on Saturday while talking to the media. According to him, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf, Jamaat-e-Islami, Pakistan Muslim League -Functional, Qaumi Awami Tehreek, Ghausia Jamaat of Shah Mehmood Qureshi and other parties will join them in the sit-in. The Arbabs belong to the Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz.
"A majority of the polling stations have been set up in the autaks [guest houses] of [Pakistan Peoples Party] PPP men," claimed Jabbar, alleging that the district returning officer (DRO), returning officers and assistant returning officers are all assisting the PPP to rig the polls.
The DRO has declared one-fourth of the 614 polling stations in the district 'very sensitive'. Another 200 have been put in the category of 'sensitive' polling, taking the total to 365.
During the 2013 general elections, violence erupted in several polling stations. At least one person was killed and thousands of ballot papers were either burnt or stolen. The Election Commission of Pakistan held re-polling with army deployment three weeks later in 47 polling stations, in which, 42,156 voters were registered.
Vankwani accused the DRO of selecting the PPP sympathisers and supporters for duties of presiding, assistant presiding and polling officers. "The DROs have not responded to any of our myriads of complaints."
Their demands include restoring the old polling stations, deploying army and Rangers and assigning the election duty to impartial staff. The electoral contest will be held on 64 union councils in Tharparkar district council, five wards in Mithi municipal committee and 26 wards in six town committees. Some 510,876 people are registered to vote.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 9th, 2015.