PPP govt, ECP made parties in petition: JI moves SHC for ‘protection’ of PTI UCs’ reps

KARACHI: Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Karachi on Monday sought the court help to protect the PTI UCs’ elected representatives from the PPP's ‘harassments’ and police arrest.

A petition in Sindh High Court was filed by Usman Farooq Advocate on behalf of JI Karachi Chief Engr Naeemur Rehman pleading for an immediate hearing on the PTI UCs chairmen and vice chairmen and give them protection to cast their votes at will.

The petition makes the PPP government in Sindh and Election Commission of Pakistan parties.

The petition pleaded the SHC to bind the government and the ECP to ensure that all the remaining elected representatives take oath and participate in the elections for towns and the city council, including the post of the city mayor.

It also pleaded the court to refrain police from conducting raids and harassing those PTI local leaders who are not nominated in any FIRs.

Talking to reporters outside the SHC, Hafiz Naeem said "we have moved the SHC to seek a relief for the PTI's elected representatives to protect them from the PPP's harassments and the police arrest," he said.

He accused the PPP of using "all out fascist tactics" as an attempt to rig the final round of the local government elections.

"Since the PTI has announced its support for the JI, the Sindh government is harassing them with arrests and mental torture," he said.

Some four to five UCs chairmen have not taken oath because they have already been arrest with several vice chairmen, he said.

The police have arrested several PTI local leaders at the time of submitting nomination forms for the reserved seats in towns and the city council, he said.

He said that the JI has 193 votes including those of the PTI whereas the required number for electing the mayor is 180.

The PPP leaders have confessed that they have a total of 166 votes after adding those of its coalition partners, he added.

Without using the illegal and unconstitutional tactics, he said, the PPP cannot clinch to the mayorship with its existing votes of 166.

"The PPP wants to use the May 9 mayhem to rig the election using the continuing crackdown as a pretext against the PTI in Sindh and particularly in Karachi," he said.

Despite sending several letters to the Election Commission, he said it has failed to correct its "course".

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023