The Hindu : PPP accuses ruling combine of rigging

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jan 18, 2003

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International

PPP accuses ruling combine of rigging

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD Jan. 17. The Pakistan People's Party (PPP) has accused the ruling combine at the Centre in general, and the Sind government in particular, of `largescale and systematic rigging' in the just-concluded by-elections to the 10 National and 18 seats for the four provincial assemblies.

The PPP failed to retain even the National Assembly seat vacated by its leader, Aitzaz Ahsan, in the Punjab province.

The outcome of the by-elections is more or less in conformity with the political trends thrown up by the October general election. The loss of Rawalpindi National Assembly seat to the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA), the alliance of six religious parties, is undoubtedly a jolt to the Pakistan Muslim League (Quaid-e-Azam) alias `king's party'.

The Information Minister, Sheikh Rashid, who won from two places, vacated the Pindi seat. Some of the commentators have sought to interpret the victory of MMA in Pindi as `grand entry' of the religious alliance into the Punjab province. However the majority that sees the victory of MMA as more of an index of opposition unity does not share the view.

In a statement Mian Raza Rabbani, acting Secretary General of the PPP, alleged that largescale and systematic rigging was carried out by the PML-Q candidates in collaboration with the local administration and the Ministers during the by-elections to the National and Provincial Assembly seats, particularly in Sind.

He claimed that initially, the PPPP was not allowed to run its election campaign in a free and fair atmosphere.

Its workers and supporters were arrested, and raids were carried out at the houses of the PPPP well-wishers. Many of those arrested were denied bail, even in the bailable offences.

The statement said that despite the ban on postings and transfers imposed by the Election Commission, transfers and postings continued on the recommendations of the Ministers and the PML (Q) candidates.

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