Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) Chief Pir Pagara Sibghatullah Shah Rashdi has claimed that the election results were made and were sold months before the polling day.

“The election was sold three months before the polling day and the payment has also been made,” he said while addressing a sit-in in Sindh’s Jamshoro against alleged rigging in the February 8 polls.

The GDA chief went on to add that he refused to hold rallies and corner meeting ahead of the election was rigged even before the voting process.

A large number of people gathered in Jamshoro for a sit-in against alleged rigging in the general elections on Friday.

The protest call was given by the GDA, the Pakistan Muslim League-Functional and some other parties.

The traffic on the Karachi-Hyderabad motorway was blocked as the local administration asked travellers to opt for national highway route Thatta route.

It is being held at the M-9 motorway in Jamshoro that links to the Indus Highway and Super Highway.

The academic session at the University of Sindh, Mehran University of Engineering and Technology, and Liaquat University of Medical & Health Sciences remained suspended and the point buses for the varsities could not run due to the roadblock.

Moreover, the exams in colleges affiliated with the University of Sindh were postponed due to the protest.

Fehmida Mirza

“This sit-in is different than other sit-ins,” GDA leader Fehmida Mirza said in her address.

Several political parties have protested against alleged rigging in elections. Nationalist parties in Balochistan have also been protesting for the same cause and observed shutter down strike last week.

There were reports of rigging in Larkana, Khairpur, Sanghar, Nawabshah, Dadu, Hyderabad, and Tando Muhammad Khan.

“Through this sit-in we want to give a message to those institutions that Sindh was the province that founded Pakistan and there are many leaders here who played a role in founding Pakistan,” Fehmida said and spoke about the state’s “treatment” with such people.

She slammed general elections and described them as farce. “Sindh has been made a colony,” she said.

The PPP has emerged as the largest party in the province. But the rival parties, except MQM-P, have not accepted the result.

“We reject these elections and this election commission,” she said and demanded that those who looted the votes should be tried Article 6—a law pertaining to treason.

She spoke about the 18th Amendment, saying that the law has been made a “joke and leading to state within a state.”

“We won’t rest until Sindh gets its rights,” she said and praised women for turning up in large numbers to protest against alleged rigging.

The former National Assembly speaker warned of using a harsh tone for “institutions” if their demands were not met.

She expressed concerns over registration of FIRs against her party leaders. Fehmida expressed her intention to form an alliance of political parties that have concerns over elections. She alleged that Sindh was given to the PPP on a platter.

“These elections, local bodies are unacceptable,” she chanted. Fehmida demanded a provincial finance commission for the province.

Saira Bano

GDA leader Saira Bano said that mere national songs were not enough to show solidarity with the national and called for practical measures.

In an apparent reference to the establishment, Bano said that a “corrupt party” cannot be given the mandate.

“This sit-in will not stop. It will be continued in every district,” she said and added that the party would not sit idle.

Ayaz Latif Palejo

Qomi Awami Tahreek President Ayaz Latif Palejo lamented the condition of Sindh province, saying that the province has been made a railway station where no locomotive arrives.

He wondered the government changes in the three provinces, but not in Sindh.

More to follow…