Fact Sheet
Pre-Polls Rigging by
Provincial Governors
Pakistan Muslim League (N) has already released
a fact sheet on recent activities of the Punjab Governor Lt. General
Khalid Maqbool (retd.) designed to predetermine the results of the October
10 elections in favor of pro-military regime contestants.
The governors of the other three provinces – Sindh, NWFP and
Balochistan – followed the same pattern of pre-polls rigging.
They also announced huge grants and development funds for the
electoral areas where ISI sponsored parties or individuals were in a
relatively weak position.
Sindh
Governor Sindh,
Muhammed Mian Soomro, started his campaign as early as July 3, 2002, when
he expanded his lame duck cabinet with five new ministers, three from the
newly formed, government sponsored Sindh Democratic alliance SDA and two
from another loyalist group. The Nation summed up its editorial comment
with the sentence “Obviously, the carrots are being dangled.”
Then, after the election
schedule was announced he personally stepped in with promises of funds.
On September 14, he called
a meeting of top provincial officers in Karachi to announce 20 million
rupees federal grant for affectees of the Rohri Canal breach and 18.2
million rupees for the drought-affected areas. 1.8 million rupees were
given to Ministry for Women Development fro the Baitul Mal.
He directed the provincial relief commissioner to distribute he
money immediately.
On September 23, the
Governor launched a barnstorming tour of the province from Thatha, where
he announced a special grant of 60 million rupees for the district
development projects. He
promised to privatize the Thatha Sugar Mills and speak to owners of the
Shah Murad Sugar Mills on retrenchment issue.
He also announced a grant of 30 million rupees Mehar Taluka. He
told his audience that the government was going to spend 14 billion rupees
on the construction of Rani Canal for the area.
On September 25, he
addressed a public meeting at Tando Adam.
Announcing 100 million rupees for Sanghar district schemes, he said
that 10 billion rupees more had been earmarked for irrigation schemes.
On September 26, he
visited Nawabshah, Badin, Nosheru Feroze, Tando Bago and Shahpur Jahanian.
He promised grants of 20 million rupees each for Tando Bago, Tilhar
Shaheed Fazal Rahu tehsils. Another 45 million were promised for three
tehsils of Nawabshah, and a special grant of 2.5 million rupees for the
Mazar of Hasan Shah Jahanian. Announcing
an additional grant of 50 million rupees for Nawabshah district, he
promised to look after other needs of the area.
He told his audience in the Tando Bago public meeting that the
World Bank had promised a loan of 6 billion rupees for development schemes
of the province, while Asian Development Bank had promised assistance for
roads, and an agreement had been signed to produce coal gas with
international cooperation. While
returning from the tour, he smiling told a curious reporter that the
government was not supporting any candidate; it was for the voters to
decide!
On September 27,
addressing a public function in Karachi, Governor Soomro openly urged the
people to vote for supporters of the military regime.
On September 28, he
addressed public meetings in Khairpur, Sukkur and Ghotki. In Khairpur, he said that General Musharraf’s welfare
programs could continue only if the people elected supporters of the
military regime. He announced
development grants totaling 166 million rupees for the 8 talukas of
Khairpur, promised opening a polytechnic college and restoration of KOT
Diji Fort. He also promised providing jobs to local residents in oil and
gas exploration companies. In Sukkur he inaugurated a Thelesimia center.
Addressing people in Ghotki, he promised early provision of sports
complex, fire brigade service and ambulance service.
He also promised that the construction of a cadet college would
start soon.
NWFP
Governor of the North West
Frontier Province (NWFP), Lt. General Iftikhar Hussain Shah pegged his
election campaign meetings to inauguration of different projects.
On September 18, he laid
foundation of Indus Highway-Kohat Link Road, and inaugurated the
Jarma-Tokh Bala section of the highway.
He also addressed a meeting in Noshehra city.
On September 22, he laid
foundation of a degree college for boys in Sarai Naurang, inaugurated new
building of the degree college in Isakhel and inaugurated new irrigation
system in Behram Khel. He
announced a grant of 350 million rupees for development of water resources
in Karak district, and 190 million for the same purpose in Hangu. He told
his audience that 55 million rupees would be spent on Tangi dam this year.
He also promised 100 million to improve electricity distribution
system.
On September 26, the
governor visited Butgram, Kohistan and Mansehra. He announced a special
grant of 50 million rupees for Kohistan district, and told his audience
that the provincial government had earmarked one billion rupees this for
promotion of education. He
laid foundation of the district secretariat building at Dasu, and also the
foundation of 210-bed district hospital.
On September 27, he
addressed a public meeting on the occasion of laying foundation of two
railway under-pass bridges, which he promised to complete within a year at
a cost of 32 million rupees.
On October 1, he addressed
inauguration ceremony of the Science Degree College for Women at Peshawar.
Then held a meeting at the Governor’s House to review development
projects in the province. In Bannu, he promised a grant of 50 million
rupees for the district government, and promised to open a passport office
in Bannu. He also reviewed
allocation of plots in the township scheme, and hinted at initiating large
development projects for Peshawar.
On October 2, at a public
meeting in Abbotabad, he announced a grant of 60 million rupees for campus
of University of Engineering and technology, and completion of power
distribution schemes. He
promised a modern hospital for the city, and improvement of the
Abbotababd-Thandiani road. He also announced a grant of one million rupees
for the library of Jalal Baba Auditorium.
On October 8, Laying the
foundation of Sharki Dam at Banda Dawood Shah in Karak district, he
promised two more dams for the district, and told his audience that the
provincial government had earmarked 400 million rupees for development of
water resources.
BALOCHISTAN
Governor of Balochistan,
Justice Ameerul Mulk Mengal (retd.) took a little circuitous root to
follow the directives of the military leaders for ensuring success of
their political supporters. He started marshalling the pro-regime
contestants, all from the PML (Q), in early July.
The Corp Commander Quetta sat with him in the meeting to chalk out
election strategy. The governor and the Corp Commander, Lt. General Abdul
Quadir called another meeting of key officials on September 10.
The officials were directed that development projects in their
respective areas should be initiated immediately.
The projects included construction of roads, schools and
dispensaries, and provision of gas, electricity and drinking water. The
Governor assured the contestants belonging to pro-regime parties that the
projects would start soon.
