The Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) announced alliance for the coming phase of local body’s elections for a peaceful, developed and empowered Karachi.Addressing a press conference at a local hotel on Friday, Amir JI Karachi chapter Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman and PTI Karachi chapter organiser Ali Zaidi announced this decision. Other leaders of both the parties were present on this occasion.They said they had agreed on 80 to 85 percent seats. They said they felt need for this alliance for the past 10 years and now they decided to go for it after a long dialogue. “We understand that for developed, peaceful and empowered Karachi, it is necessary that we take part in ongoing election in shape of alliance.”They said the PTI and JI candidates would not directly contest against each other in any condition. They demanded that during the LG elections army and Rangers must be deployed in every polling station and polling both. The election commission should ensure that polling staff was neutral to end intimidating atmosphere during the elections, they demanded. They warned that they would start a joint movement for free and fair election if their concerns were not addressed. “We will make sure, along with all stakeholders, that free and fare elections are conducted,” they alleged.
SOOMRO ASKS OPPOSITION STOP LEVELING ALLEGATIONS
Special Assistant to Chief Minister for Auqaf and Religious Affairs Senator Dr Abdul Qayoom Soomro said that the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Muslim League Functional (PML-F) should accept the decision of people in local government elections and stop leveling false allegations of rigging.
While commenting on a scheduled sit-in of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) against alleged rigging in local government elections, he said it was not new for the opponents to make a false cry over results of fair and transparent elections. He stated that the Pakistan Peoples’ Party would also win the second and third phases of the local government polls. He said as the Sindh government was working for the improvement and progress of society, therefore the PPP had received a huge mandate from every corner of the province.