Row between PPP, PMLN as Tarar seizes two for ‘buying votes’

LAHORE/ISLAMABAD: PMLN candidate from NA-127 Attaullah Tarar on Saturday caught two persons from the election office of PPP in Qainchi Bazaar for allegedly buying votes.

The incident took place on Saturday evening when Tarar reached the vicinity for his election campaign and was informed that two people were allegedly buying votes in the PPP office. Tarar forced his entry into the PPP office and caught the two red-handed for allegedly buying votes. Tarar and his colleagues also seized religious books from the office on which people belonging to minorities were giving oath to vote for Bilawal Bhutto Zardari after getting cash.

Talking to media, Tarar said votes were being bought in his constituency and the PMLN would not allow this. He said a request had been submitted to the Election Commission of Pakistan over this issue. “Bilawal will not be allowed to do this in Lahore,” he said, adding that a person named Mian Saeed was buying votes on the Ferozepur Road. “If the Election Commission of Pakistan does not stop this pre-poll rigging, we will stop it ourselves,” Tarar said.

Later, he and his companions took the two to the Kot Lakhpat Police Station.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) wrote a letter to Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja complaining that PMLN NA-127 candidate Atta Tarrar with 300 people attacked PPP candidate PP-160 office in Lahore.

Through the letter to CEC, In-Charge Central Election Cell of PPP Parliamentarians Senator Taj Haider also complained that police were relunctant to register FIR regarding these criminal acts and PPP members have been in the police station for over three hours waiting for an FIR to be registered.

Senator Taj Haider said that the PMLN NA-127 candidate Atta Tarrar, accompanied by over 300 goons forcibly entered the office of the PPP candidate PP-160 Mian Misbah Ur Rehman in Lahore where the PPP candidate was engaged in campaign activities and his team was mobilising polling agents for an upcoming training session scheduled for Sunday.

He stated that it was deeply concerning that PMLN and their candidates continued to orchestrate violent acts against the constituents and continued to disrupt PPP campaign efforts in Punjab, particularly in NA-127 Lahore, where Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari is PPP contesting candidate.

Senator Tajn Haider stated that the PMLN had created an atmosphere of fear and intimidation in the constituency of NA-127 Lahore and it is also unfortunate that the police are complicit in facilitating these unlawful activities.

He stated that the ECP must investigate why Punjab police personnel were assisting candidate Atta Tarrar and his goons during this violent incursion into the PPP candidate office and injured PPP voters and members.

Regrettably, he stated that it must be noted that this is not an isolated incident but rather part of a pattern of harassment and intimidation targeting PPP voters and candidates in Punjab. “We also bring to your attention the reluctance of the Kot Lakhpat Police Station to register an FIR regarding these criminal acts and PPP members have been in the police station for over three hours waiting for an FIR to be registered,” he wrote.

Considering these serious concerns, Senator Taj Haider requested an immediate investigation into the criminal conduct of PMLN candidate Atta Tarrar and his goons with appropriate legal consequences. “We also request the ECP intervention in registration of FIR against the violence stated above,” he demanded.