MQM doubts ‘transparency, fairness’ of general elections

KARACHI: MQM-Pakistan chief Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui on Monday raised doubt about “fairness and transparency” of general elections on February 8.

Addressing a press conference with Mustafa Kamal, Aminul Haq and other leaders at Pakistan House, Siddiqui said everyone knows how the results of the 2018 general elections were compiled. He claimed that Karachi has been deprived of its real representation. “Those who represented the city, did not belong to it,” he added.

The MQM (Muttahida Qaumi Movement) leader said that the city needed elections at the earliest as “the caretaker government in Sindh is a continuation of the 15-year [PPP] government.” Siddiqui said elections should be held in such a way that the whole process looked transparent. “At this time, it seems, the elections will not be fair and transparent,” he continued.

He warned the caretaker government of protest if the mandate was not to its liking. “We will come to the streets to get [real] mandate.” He addressed the caretaker prime minister that “it is your job to conduct transparent elections.”

He revealed that commission member Nisar Durrani has been an official of People’s Party. He warned that the MQM-P would reject the result until Ijaz Anwar Chauhan and Nisar Durrani are members of the Election Commission. Siddiqui alleged that pre-poll rigging has been done. “If it is not fixed, people will do the job themselves.”

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