ISLAMABAD: Hundreds of supporters from an alliance of religious political parties are rallying in the northwest Pakistan city of Hangu alleging this week’s national elections were fraudulent.
Friday’s protest was the first against election results by the opposition.
Maulana Fazlur Rehman, who heads the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal alliance, had threatened to agitate against fraud in Wednesday’s vote.
They claimed many of their votes were rejected by election officials and their election agents were thrown out of the room by security forces during vote counts.
According to official results, Rehman’s alliance secured only 12 seats in the National Assembly out of 269 contested seats.
His alliance ruled Pakistan’s northwest from 2002 to 2007 following the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks in the United States.
Religious political alliance rallies in Hangu against election results
Religious political alliance rallies in Hangu against election results
- The protest was the first against election results by the opposition
- Supporters from an alliance of religious political parties claimed many of their votes were rejected by election officials
Pakistan’s Sindh forms judicial commission after deadly Gul Plaza fire
- Probe to examine evacuation routes, fire safety audits and possible role of authorities
- Commission, headed by Justice Agha Faisal, will submit its findings within eight weeks
ISLAMABAD: Sindh’s provincial government on Tuesday formed a judicial commission to examine building approvals, evacuation routes, fire safety audits and possible negligence by authorities following a deadly fire at Gul Plaza, as officials vowed to fix responsibility for any lapses.
The fire at Gul Plaza last month, which engulfed a multi-story commercial complex, killed at least 67 people and left more than 15 missing, triggering renewed criticism of lax enforcement of building codes and emergency preparedness in Pakistan’s largest city.
Authorities said the blaze spread rapidly through the building, complicating rescue efforts and raising questions about wiring, access routes and fire safety systems in older markets.
“Responsibility will be fixed against any government officials or building management found negligent, and no lapse at any level will be overlooked,” Sindh Home Minister Zia-ul-Hassan Lanjar said, according to an official statement.
The commission, headed by Justice Agha Faisal of the Sindh High Court, will review construction approvals, the legal status of the building’s lease and violations of approved plans, the statement said.
It will also examine whether emergency evacuation routes were obstructed and assess the adequacy of fire-fighting arrangements and safety audits.
The inquiry will further investigate the causes of the fire, conditions at the time of the incident and the speed and effectiveness of rescue operations, while identifying any negligence by relevant authorities.
Under the notification, the commission is required to submit its findings within eight weeks, with the Karachi commissioner directed to provide secretarial support.
The Sindh administration reiterated its commitment to ensuring relief for victims and delivering justice in the case.
