INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
the latest spate of media trial against former President Asif Ali Zardari has his sister PPP Women Wing President Faryal Talpur as a clear
case of sheer political victimization and a well-calculated pre-poll rigging move.Addressing a press conference at Bilawal House, the PPP
leaders Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan, Farhatullah Babar, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate Sherry Rehman, Syed Nayyar Hussain Bukhari, Qamaruz
Zaman Kaira, Chaudhry Manzoor Ahmed and Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar and others said that that we find the timing of this case particularly
The case that has been dredged up against President Asif Ali Zardari and Faryal Talpur was instituted three years ago
It has been dragged out of cold storage two weeks before an election as a clear case of political victimisation and can be classified as
pre-poll rigging.The PPP leaders pointed out that this investigation, its timing and the media trial that has begun at this point in the
asking to be removed for his politically partisan behaviour is all the more malicious
The Additional DG FIA heading up this particular investigation is even more blatantly controversial: he is Najaf Mirza who has been active
There is an active FIR against Najaf Mirza as well, therefore it is shocking that he has been made in charge of the investigation.Senior PPP
leaders further said that the scale of disinformation is also high
The amounts mentioned allege that the Zardari Group is somehow involved in white collar crimes and money laundering of Rs 35 billion and
All of the above is factually wrong, and deliberately misleading
The one company in question has not done anything illegal or used at any point for any criminal activity
Even the amount it allegedly transacted business is one and a half crore rupees, which as a loan was on record returned
None of this amounts to money-laundering or criminal transaction
Both are allegations which shall be contested in court.The PPP leaders said that they were deeply saddened at the fact that President
Zardari and Ms Faryal Talpur have been put on the ECL, given that others, like Nawaz Sharif and Mariyam, have over months of investigation,
President Zardari have always faced down cases and witch hunts without ever running away
This is all part of what looks like an elaborate conspiracy to rig the polls and strip PPP of a level playing field
From KP to Punjab and Sindh, all across the country our candidates and supporters are being pressed to switch loyalties and change their
being generously facilitated
In Sindh our party has officially notified us of Col Abid Shah in Sukkur, and Major Shehzad in Badin as being particularly active against
In KP for example, we have been told of a Col Mugheez who is overly active in pressuring our party members and supporters to switch to the
blocks and media blackouts all over the country
First in Lyari, then on way to Uch Sharif, then later in Multan
Jalsa permissions are also held up or plainly denied in many parts of KP while others are being allowed.The same uneven playing field is on
display wherever we campaign, as our posters and display messages are being systematically removed while others carry on with their voting
symbol and candidates faces all over the constituencies.PPP leaders further said that the growing media gags and press censorship signals
the onset of a dark period of political engineering, which is busy using state resources to stack the deck against progressive political
parties with an ideological base and vote bank
While candidates from our parties are disqualified on flimsy grounds, it is very troubling that about 150 candidates from violent extremist
