Throwing down gauntlet in Karachi power show, JI warns of protests if votes ‘altered’

In view of his previous “experience” in the local government polls, Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Karachi Emir Hafiz Naeem Ur Rehman Sunday threatened to besiege the offices of returning officers (ROs) if "results are changed" on February 8.

Addressing a power show at Karachi's Bagh-e-Jinnah, the JI Karachi emir warned: “[JI] will besiege the offices of District Returning Officers (DROs) and Returning Officers (ROs) if [election] results are changed on February 8.”

It is pertinent to mention here that the JI had rejected the results of the Karachi Mayor elections last year in June last year, accusing the PPP of stealing Karachi’s mandate. The JI won 86 union councils and came in second after the PPP which bagged 93 UCs in the LG polls in the metropolis.

The mayoral elections in the city were held on June 15 in which PPP's Murtaza Wahab secured 173 votes while the JI's Karachi chief bagged 160 votes. Prior to the polls for the coveted slot, the PTI, who had 41 seats announced to support the JI candidate.

Fring a fresh salvo at the PPP and MQM-P, the JI leader said that Karachi’s mandate was sold multiple times. “MQM-P sold Karachi’s mandate to feudal lords and barons.”

Naeem said that the two parties sold Karachi’s sole power distribution company at a nominal price. “We will conduct a forensic audit of K-Electric and expose the [political] parties involved in it [corrupt practices].”

Linking the progress of Karachi with that of the entire Pakistan, Naeem said that despite all the devastation, the port city was still running the country’s economy.

“Karachi can make Pakistan a developed nation.” If the port city is given its due financial rights then the rulers would not have to travel around the globe with a begging bowl.

Speaking on the occasion, the JI leader warned that if the problems of intermediate students are not solved within two days, they would stage a protest demonstration outside the Chief Minister's House again.

It is pertinent to mention here that the Board of Intermediate Education Karachi (BIEK) announced the results of the first-year (Part-I) examination last week, in which a major number of students failed, raising concerns regarding their declining performance.

According to the statistics, 80% of the candidates failed in Arts (regular), 72% failed in Arts (private) and 63% failed in Commerce (private) groups.

Earlier in the results released this month, only 36.5% of candidates were successful in Pre-Medical, 34.79% in Pre-Engineering and 38.69% in Computer Science groups.

Speaking on the occasion, JI Emir Sirajul Haq termed the mass public rally a “referendum” and said that February 8 would be the end of the “dacoits rule”.

“PPP and MQM-P have spoiled several decades of the nation,” he said and claimed that their term would never come again.

He held the political parties, who had been enjoying power for the past 76 years, responsible for corruption, skyrocketing inflation, poverty and lawlessness in the country.