Sirajul Haq demands Zardari accept LG polls public mandate

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

Sunday’s local bodies 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, the PPP stood victorious, with the 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 to some as clashes took place.

The PPP, which is the leading party according to unofficial results, has hinted at joining hands with the JI for Karachi’s “betterment”, but ruled out forming a 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 bodies elections had been repeatedly postponed and the affairs of the government were being carried out on an ad-hoc basis.”

Karachi had been abandoned for a long time and for the local bodies polls, the JI had endeavoured for long, said the Emir, adding that the “historical victory of JI is not astounding as the party has served Karachi.”

In his press conference, he also mentioned that despite the Sindh government’s claim that the turnout was low, the results were delayed for almost 30 hours.

“JI had 94 seats on Form 11 but after the results came out, it secured 86 seats,” claimed Siraj-ul-Haq. “PPP was given a leading position. We demand that the signatures on Form 11 should be considered accurate.”

Haq added according to Form-11, JI emerged victorious in more than 94 constituencies. “PPP calls itself a party of the people, if that’s the case, then it should accept the decision made by the people,” he added.

He further said that the JI would continue to engage in discussions but in the second phase, the provincial government should embrace the reality. He added that “we are capable of taking everyone along with us.” Haq maintained that development, peace and prosperity are desired in the city and the people should not be deprived of good leadership.