LARKANA: The Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) candidate for NA-200, constituency of Larkana, Rashid Mahmood Soomro on Thursday staged a massive sit-in at Jinnah Bagh roundabout against alleged rigging in election results to favour Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.
“Bilawal has been ‘forcibly’ declared successful, and the rigging is as clear as daylight,” he said, imputing malafide intention to his political rivals.
Soomro, politically backed by Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) and Larkana Awami Ittehad (LAI), gathered a large number of supporters, who chanted full-throat slogans against PPP during a demonstration.
He further alleged that according to district returning officers (DROs), more votes were casted in Ratodero than Larkana.
“If results could be announced in the mountains of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), then why election results of Ratodero and Larkana were delayed for more than 35 hours,” he said, adding that the public mandate should not be disrespected.
He denounced the victory of Bilawal, and said that it could not be accepted.
Later, he demanded the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to announce results immediately or otherwise, the protest would continue for an indefinite period.
He threatened to stage another massive sit-in after Friday prayers against alleged ‘pre-planned’ rigging by PPP.
Published in Daily Times, July 27th 2018.