Karachi (HRNW) After receiving severe criticism over alleged rigging and delay in results of much-awaited local body elections in Karachi, the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) in Sindh on Thursday assured the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) of redressal of its grievances relating to the polls.
The development came during a meeting between Sindh Labour Minister Saeed Ghani and JI Karachi Emir Hafiz Naeem Ur Rahman at Idara Noor-e-Haq in the metropolis.
The JI, which emerged as the second-biggest party in the January 15 local government polls in Karachi, accused the PPP of rigging during the polling as well as post-poll rigging.
Addressing a joint press conference alongside Ghani following the meeting, the JI Karachi chief expressed severe concerns over the results of the local elections.
“We faced problems while obtaining Forms 11 and 12. Difficulties were also being faced while receiving results,” he added.
Referring to alleged post-poll rigging, the JI leader said that recounting of the votes in “controversial UCs” was causing problems.
“Recounting of votes is still underway in some UCs. We protested against changes in results. Mistakes are also being made in the re-counting process,” he said.
The JI leader hoped that Ghani and his team would look into the matters and resolve the issues.
‘We want JI and PPP to walk together’
For his part, Ghani said that the provincial government would take every possible step to address the grievances of the JI. “From the beginning, we wanted the JI and the PPP to walk together,” he added.
Referring to a possible alliance between the two parties, the Sindh minister said that it would be beneficial for the people in the metropolis. “We want the PPP and the JI to work together for the city,” said Ghani.
Responding to allegations about rigging, the minister said that there were many things that “do not come directly under the government’s control”. Both the parties will continue to cooperate to resolve the issues, the minister added.
“The ECP is performing well but there may be some reservations,” said Ghani. Despite the differences, we should try not to spoil the environment of the city, he added.
Taking to Twitter, the JI leader said that the one-point agenda — changes in results after the elections — were discussed with the PPP delegation headed by Ghani.
“They [PPP] assured that the issues would be rectified,” he added The JI leader said that talks could move forward only if the provincial government takes practical steps
Earlier today, Ghani said that the PPP committed rigging in the polls the party should have secured a minimum of 125 seats from Karachi.