Opposition parties stage sit-in outside PEC

KARACHI: Political and religious parties belonging to opposition staged sit-in here on Saturday outside the office of the Provincial Election Commission (PEC) to raise their demand for voters' verification under supervision of army.

The sit-in, amongst others, was participated by Jamaat-e-Islami Karachi Ameer Muhammad Hussain Mahenti, Sirajul Haq, Laeeq Khan, Hameedul Allah and Birjees Ahmed, Ali Akbar Gujar of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, Syed Hafizuddin and Zubiar Khan of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Maulana Gayasuddin and Qari Ghulam Yaseen of Jamait Ulema-e-Islam- Fazl (JUI-F), Khuwaja Naveed of Sindh United Party (SUP), Gulzar Ahmed Soomro of Snidh Tarqi Pasand Party (STPP), Laeeq Ahmed of Tanzeemul Ikhwan, Saddiq Khan MandoKhel of PakhtunKhwa Milli Awami Party, minority leader Michal Jawed, Matloob Awan of Sunni Tehrik, Mazhar Ali Advocate of Awami Tehreek, Mustaqeem Noorani of Jamait Ulema-e-Pakistan (JUP) and Mulana Ghulam Mustafa Farooqi of Jamait Ulema-e-Islam- Sami (JUI-S).

Mahenti addressing on the occasion thanked the participating political and religious leaders. He said they all have gathered here seeking free and fair election and peace in Karachi. He alleged that the electoral process was being hijacked by a particular political party. He claimed the violation of Supreme Court orders regarding voter verification process was being continued, as the electoral rolls were once again being prepared at offices of a political party.

Sirajul Haq said the appointment of Fakhruddin G Ebrahim as Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) was aimed at holding free, fair and transparent elections, and he should reject political pressure from any side. He said if the ECP remained under political pressure the election would again become a mere selection.

He said all participating parties will stage a sit-in before Parliament if the chief election commissioner not followed the order of Supreme Court and order voters verification under the supervision of law enforcing agencies.

Gulzar Soomro said every individual has the right to speak and select candidate as per his or her free choice. He said politicising of voter verification process would usurp this right of people.

Other leaders said opposition parties were ready to sacrifice for restoration of real democracy through correct voter lists. They said the SC verdict was not being implemented in true letter and spirit and voters' verification was being continued in the absence of army.

They said sit-in will continue on Sunday and Monday. They said it would end when ECP starts its works according to the apex court’s order to ensure presence of army personnel during the process of voter verification.