JI accuses interim govt and ECP of manipulating elections

Intensifying their campaign for the February 8 general elections, the Jamaat-e-Islami’s Karachi chapter on Monday held a big rally under the title ‘Karvan-e-Tarazu’ in the city’s Central district.

Addressing the participants of the rally, JI city chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman accused the caretaker government and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) of manipulating the polls, saying that the ECP failed to provide a level playing field to all political parties.

“The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf has been kicked out of the contest, and the independents are being forced to facilitate some particular political segments, so in this backdrop, any vote cast in favour of any party other than the JI will be serving the feudal lords and the Pakistan People Party [PPP].”

Rehman claimed that the PPP is not a political party of ideology but a family enterprise completely serving the interests of the Zardari family and a fraction of the political elite in Sindh.

The JI city chief clarified that his party does not want to increase the gulf between the public and the state institutions, but instead wants to bridge the differences between them.

He said the JI has become the only ray of hope for Karachiites, and February 8 would commence a new era of progress and development for the mega city as well as the country.

He also said the people of Karachi have decided and expressed their direction. The progress and development of Pakistan is tied to the prosperity of Karachi, he pointed out.

Rehman said Karachi has suffered corpses in gunny bags, target killings, terrorism, extortion and politics of hate and division, so the time has come to get rid of the forces of chaos once and for all.

He said that any attempt to resurrect the dead political horses, who were responsible for all the mess, would not only be useless but would also be tantamount to harming the state.

Earlier, the JI leader had addressed thousands of participants at the Bano Qabil entry test in the Metroville area of SITE Area. He had also visited the grieving family of the Baldia Town victim who had lost his life after falling into an open storm water drain during the recent urban flooding.

Thousands of JI activists and supporters participated in the election rally. The rally started off at Golimar Chowrangi near Sir Syed Girls College, then passed through the Five Star, Sakhi Hassan, Nagan, UP and Power House roundabouts, North Karachi, Shafeeq Morr, Sohrab Goth and Ayesha Manzil before ending at the Liaquatabad post office stop.