KARACHI: Jamaat-e-Islami Karachi hosted an All Parties Conference (APC) on what they called ‘engineered elections’,

at Idara-e-Noor Haq, here on Wednesday.

JI Karachi Ameer Muhammad Hussain Mahenti presided over the APC, while the leaders of other political and religious parties, including Saleem Zia of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Syed Zia Abbas of National People’s Party (NPP), Dr Sidique Rathore of Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan (JUP), Matloob Awan of Pakistan Sunni Tehreek (PST), Basharat Mirza of Pakistan Democratic Party (PDP), Sabin Khan of Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PMAP), Yousuf Masti Khan of Pakistan Awami Party (PAWP) and Maulana Ghayyas of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), were also present on the occasion.

The APC unanimously passed a couple of resolutions demanding Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and other relevant institutions to hold free and fair elections across the country and to prevent the incumbent government and some particular parties to bring the interim setup through deal. Other resolution demanded exemplary punishment to the criminals involved in suicide bomb blasts and target killings in the country. Speaking on the occasion, Mahenti said the APC had rejected the voters’ verification process. He feared the process of ‘engineered elections’ might be repeated once again in the city, as the provincial election commission had also become hostage. Mahenti appealed to the CEC to take courageous step in order to rectify the electoral lists.

Saleem Zia of PML-N said all parties wanted transparent elections and rectification of voter lists. He was of the view that previous elections in Karachi were conducted on what he called at gunpoint. “Real leadership is the only solution to the problems of Karachiites,” he said.

Matloob Awan demanded the deployment of army personnel on polling stations on the

day of polling. Dr Sidiq Rathore appealed to the EC to conduct delimitation and rectification of electoral rolls. Syed Zia Abbas said a political party had been seizing the mandate of the city for last 30 years.

Basharat Mirza urged that every possible step should be taken towards the holding of fair and free elections.

Mehfooz Yar Khan said transparent elections are the need of the hour and EC should take appropriate steps in that regard. Mufti Usman Yaar Khan said contempt case should be filed against EC on violation

of SC verdict. Maulana Ghayyas said the country was on the verge of collapse and EC was responsible for what he called pre-poll rigging.

CS:http://www.dailytimes.com.pk