PML-N cries foul over ‘use of government machinery’ by PPP in pre-poll campaign

The Sindh chapter of the Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML–N) has demanded that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) immediately take notice of “the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) continuously utilising its provincial government’s resources and machinery to secure victory in the PS-114 by-elections”, scheduled to be held in Karachi on July 9.

Speaking at a press conference held at the party’s provincial secretariat a day earlier, PML–N leaders alleged that the Sindh government’s entire machinery had been tasked with conducting the electoral campaign for the upcoming by-polls to a provincial assembly seat.

The leaders accused the PPP of violating the ECP’s relevant electoral rules and regulations during the election campaign. They maintained that Sindh government ministers and advisers associated with the PPP were trying to influence voters by promising development works in PS-114 during the by-polls campaign.

They further alleged that the PPP had deployed employees associated with a number of the provincial government departments, including education, health, police, and local government, to carry out and supervise election-related activities.

Talking about the PPP’s candidate for the by-elections, Saeed Ghani, the PML–N leaders stated that Ghani was an “infamous” leader who had earlier been removed from the post of adviser to the Sindh chief minister on court orders.

The PML-N men claimed Ghani had no interest for the well-being of the voters of the constituency. PML-N Sindh president Babu Sarfaraz Jatoi said his party was contesting the by-polls against the entire Sindh government’s machinery.

The party representatives said the PML–N had previously won elections in PS-114 and would once again clinch the seat. 

To a question, he said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had immediately cut short his foreign visit and returned to Pakistan in view of the back-to-back tragedies in the country just before Eidul Fitr.

After his arrival in Pakistan, he said, both Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif had not rested for a while and the PML-N had cancelled its political activities all over the country.

On the other hand, he added, the PPP had been trying to do politicking which showed that how irresponsible the party leadership was.

To another query, Jatoi said his party would not make an alliance with any such political party that didn’t believe in the integrity and unity of the country.  

Political leaders who left PML-N had lost all importance as nobody cared about where they went, he said while citing former PML-N Sindh president Ismail Rahu, who left the PML-N for the PPP, as an example.

PML-N Sindh leaders Kheal Das Kohistani, Asad Usmani, Saadullah Afridi and others were present at the press conference.