Karachi: Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Karachi chairman Hafiz Naeem Ur Rehman suggested forming a coalition government with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
Naeem advised Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) against “horse trading” to steal the Karachi mayor’s election during a news conference at JI headquarters in Idara Noor-e-Haq.
JI would support democracy. “The PPP should not shame itself by buying the conscience of Karachi Metropolitan Corporation City Council members,” he said.
Naeem stated the ruling party determined to elect their candidate as Karachi mayor despite 24 votes shy of forming the megacity’s local council.
“The PPP was celebrating what it claimed was its victory; however, it was an open secret that the ruling party employed unmatchable fascist tactics and state machinery to rig the polls and increase its numbers,” he added.
Naeem added that the PPP had lost the local government elections despite using outright fascism and state brutality.
The JI leader produced 41 PPP votes from a Karachi polling location. The PPP polling agent and government officials signed the outcome form. He then revealed the government’s result form, which raised PPP votes from 41 to 419.
He said the PPP was third in the UC but labeled first in an attack on democracy.
“PPP celebrated failing Karachi”
He asked PPP leader Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari if his party’s victory celebrations will bring Karachi and its people back to the Stone Age.
“Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, you are celebrating failing Karachi and Karachiites,” he shouted.
The JI leader stated the Karachi municipal government needed 184 seats. He noted that if the JI and PTI joined a coalition, their number would 191, eliminating six union committees with unresolved legal cases.
JI-PTI negotiations advanced.
He said the JI and PTI were in advanced talks and would share specifics with the media later. JI leader repeated that Karachi’s local government would be JI.
He said the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) was acting as the PPP had kidnapped it. Naeem also criticized the PPP for altering the local government law after the polls but before the government formed.
He regretted that the Rangers had stood by in Karachi as PPP supporters rigged the polls.
The JI leader also criticized the Sindh government and PBS for halving Karachi’s population in the census.
He added the government must preserve law and order nationwide.
He advised the government against revenge politics. The JI opposed any attempt to use undemocratic and draconian methods against a political party or group, but it also opposed protest violence.
He criticized the administration for arresting female political workers.
