Despite its concerns PPP accepts Badin results

Source: 
Dawn
Publication date: 
Nov 21 2015

ISLAMABAD: Despite PPP’s concerns over the victory of Zulfiqar Mirza’s group in the local government elections in Badin town, Leader of Opposition in National Assembly Syed Khursheed Shah accepted the results on Friday and urged others to respect the people’s decision.

Talking to reporters after meeting Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) retired Justice Sardar Muhammad Raza Khan, he said: “We should all accept Badin’s results as the decision of the people of the area.”

The ruling PPP in Sindh had reportedly tried hard to win the polls in Badin where its disgruntled leader had fielded his own candidates and managed to win a majority of seats in his hometown. A public meeting of PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari a day before the elections did not produce desired results.

Terming the elections in Sindh and Punjab fair and transparent, Mr Shah said: “Despite their political influence, relatives of PPP’s ministers in Sindh and fathers and brothers of PML-N ministers in Punjab have lost.”

However, the PPP raised several concerns about the Badin polls.

The party’s spokesman Senator Farhatullah Babar issued a statement saying that it would be instructive to view the election results of the 14 wards of Badin town municipal committee while keeping in mind that 22 polling stations in the area had been changed a night before the voting, leaving the voters in quandary. “This happened despite an announcement made a day earlier that the polling stations would not be changed.”

He said the elections in more than 80 union councils in various districts, where PPP had a strong showing, had also been suddenly postponed a day before the polling day.

A third reason, he said, was that Sindh Rangers Director General Maj Gen Bilal Akbar thought it proper to visit Badin only, during which the local general secretary of the PPP, Aziz Memon, who was also a candidate, was arrested. He was released a few hours later but not before his detention dramatised on the media had served the purpose of sending a stark message to the voters, the spokesman said.

He said the fourth reason was that the anti-PPP group was singularly fortunate as the verdict of the Sindh High Court on a contempt petition filed several months ago by Mr Mirza against the inspector general and 15 other police officers came on the eve of the elections.

“The verdict, reserved since July, rejecting the apology by the Sindh IGP and 15 other police officers came two days before the LB polls. As a legal victory for Zulfikar Mirza it served as a shot in the arm for the anti PPP-group,” he said.

Senator Babar said there was no doubt that the court had dispensed justice in accordance with the law and it was also the hallmark of an independent judiciary that the courts should not be obligated in any way to weigh in the consequences flowing from the timing of their verdicts.

“However it cannot be denied that the anti-PPP group was very fortunate as the court verdict came at the right time to bolster both Mr Zulfikar Mirza and his group. The lesson of the Badin election is that those aided by their stars are more likely to win even if it is a pyrrhic victory,” he said.

HIGH COURT JUDGES IN ECP: The leader of opposition, during his meeting with the CEC, stressed the need for empowerment of the Election Commission and said he would recommend, in the parliamentary committee on poll reforms, induction of senior judges of high courts as the ECP’s members.

He said the ECP was an independent institution and not under the judiciary.

Replying to a reporter’s question, the PPP leader said he had discussed the role of the ECP in ensuring fairness and transparency, and curbing irregularities, in elections.

He urged the CEC to write a letter to the Supreme Court about the commission’s powers.

Mr Shah said he had advised the CEC to install closed-circuit security cameras in all polling booths to check illegal stamping of ballots.

Answering a question about the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s chief, he said Imran Khan often forgot his previous statements.

 

Fuente: http://www.dawn.com/news/1221234/despite-its-concerns-ppp-accepts-badin-...