Eight major parties accuse PPP of rigging, reject LG polls in Sindh.

KARACHI -- Making a unanimous demand, the opposition parties in Sindh on Sunday called for intervention from the 'top authorities' of the country to declare the first phase of local government elections in four divisions of the province null and void accusing the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) of rigging, resorting to violence and using police as its 'armed wing' to facilitate 'aggression' against the political opponents in which two people were killed and scores of others were injured in polls-related violence.

The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), Sindh United Party (SUP), Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA), Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), Jamaat-i-Islami (JI), Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP), and Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen (MWM) came up with a strong reaction and accused the PPP of rigging polls and rejected the whole electoral process. They blamed the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) of 'sitting idle' when the gross violations were being carried out in all 14 districts.

The parties termed the election 'a mockery of democracy', a 'cruel joke' and a 'circus'.

The strong reactions started pouring in the second half of the day.

Former federal minister and PTI's Sindh chapter president Ali Zaidi said the fears expressed by his party proved to be true and predicted the trend to continue in the second phase of elections.

'We know that the PPP won't let anyone win the elections through fair means,' he said while addressing a press conference with party colleagues.

'They [PPP] can't win a single seat due to their 14 years of worst governance, corruption and incompetence. The vandalism started when the schedule of the election was announced. Our candidates were kidnapped, booked in false cases and many were harassed to leave their hometown with families to save their lives. We reject this election and if these elections get stamp of validation from the top institutions concerned, it would be a disaster for democracy and Sindh.'

He described the police as 'PPP workers in uniforms' who 'managed the violence on the orders of ruling party'.

MQM claims PPP used dacoits to harass opponents

The MQM-P also questioned the PPP government and accused the ruling party of involving armed dacoits to harass opponents, polling staff and keep people away from voting process.

The ally of the PPP in the federal government, the MQM was sure that the first phase of the Sindh local bodies' elections was marred by the...