GDA announces protests against rigging on August 3

KARACHI: The Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) has demanded re-election in Sindh in view of widespread rigging in July 25th polls and have announced to hold province wide protests on August 3.

The GDA's chief Pir Sibghatullah Shah Rashdi and Secretary General Ayaz Latif Palejo made the demand while addressing a a press conference here on Tuesday following a meeting to review the post-poll scenario in the province.

Addressing the media, Pir Pagara also demanded resignation of the chief election commissioner in view of the ECP's failure to prevent the gross irregularities and rigging in the general elections. He said although there were serious poll-related competition and dispute in Punjab as well but for unknown reasons the electoral mandate of the people of Sindh was stolen. He alleged the votes polled in favour of the GDA candidates were rejected without any valid reason. He said the government officials facilitated rigging.

Pagara said the pace of polling in parts of Sindh other than Karachi was deliberately slowed down and this serious issue was ignored despite several complaints lodged by the GDA. He said the PPP candidates had to face humiliation during their electioneering campaign, while the GDA leaders were warmly received by the masses during the pre-poll period. The GDA chief charged that even those PPP candidates who were considering to retire from the electoral race were able to poll over 80,000 votes. He said the GDA would not block Imran Khan's efforts to form the next federal government, but he must ulfil the promises made to the masses.

Pagara said the GDA wanted to give a strike call in Sindh to protest against the election rigging in the province but it gave preference to the larger national interest. He however said the courts would be moved against the rigging. The GDA chief said Imran Khan has promised to bring back the plundered wealth of the country stashed in bank accounts abroad. He said mostly the corrupt bureaucrats are involved in looting money from the public exchequer. He said there is large number of bureaucrats whose family members possess dual nationality. He claimed that for every 100 corrupt politicians, there existed a league of 1,000 corrupt bureaucrats.

Speaking on the occasion, the GDA Secretary General Ayaz Latif Palejo said a province wide protest would be held in every district of Sindh on August 3 at the call of GDA. While in the second phase, main highways of the province would be blocked. In the last phase of the protest drive, a strike call could also be given.

Palejo said several key candidates of the alliance who were clearly winning the poll were deliberately defeated. They included Arbab Ghulam Rahim, Jalal Mahmood Shah, Zulfiqar Mirza, Pir Sadruddin Shah Rashdi, and Ghulam Murtaza Jatoi. He said Form-45 containing election result of each polling stations have also not been given to the polling agents of the GDA’s candidates.