Siraj Ul Haq demands Zardari accept LG polls public mandate.

ISLAMABAD -- Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Emir Siraj ul Haq Wednesday demanded Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari accept the public's mandate and hoped that Bilawal-led party would listen to JI in putting an end to the confusion.

Sunday's local body polls held in Karachi were marred by delayed results, which prompted rigging claims from JI, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), and other parties. However, when the results came out, PPP stood victorious, with JI trailing right behind it.

Not accepting the results, workers of both parties - JI and PTI - held back-to-back protests in Karachi, leading to injuries of some as clashes took place.

The PPP, which is the leading party according to unofficial results, has hinted at joining hands with JI for Karachi's "betterment", but ruled out forming government with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

Speaking at a press conference in Islamabad, the JI emir told journalists that "after a long struggle, Karachiites have elected their leadership. Local body elections had been repeatedly postponed and the affairs of the government were being carried out on ad-hoc bases."

Karachi had been abandoned for a long time and for the local body polls, JI had endeavoured for a long, said the emir, adding that the "historical victory of JI is not astounding as the party...