JI likely to join hands with PTI to form local govt in Karachi: Naeem

• Naeem warns PPP against "horse trading" to get their mayor elected.
• Says PPP adamant to get its mayor despite being short of votes.
• JI leader says PPP celebrated failing Karachi and its people.

Jamaat-e-Islami's (JI) Karachi chief Hafiz Naeem Ur Rehman has hinted at joining hands with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to form a coalition government in Karachi, The News reported on Sunday.

The statement came during a press conference held at the JI headquarters in the metropolis, Idara Noor-e-Haq, where Naeem also warned Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) against resorting to "horse trading" to steal the election of the Karachi mayor.

"JI would continue upholding democratic values. The PPP should not further disgrace itself by buying the conscience of Karachi Metropolitan Corporation City Council members," he said.

Naeem said that despite the fact that the ruling party was short of 24 votes to form the local government in the megacity, it was adamant to get their candidate elected as Karachi mayor.

"The PPP was celebrating what it claimed to be its victory; however, it was an open secret that the ruling party had employed unmatchable fascist tactics and state machinery to rig the polls and increase its numbers," he added.

Naeem went on to say that the PPP had failed to acquire a majority in the local government polls despite employing naked fascism and state oppression.

The JI leader showed a result from a polling station in Karachi showing 41 votes in favour of the PPP. The result form bore signatures of not only government officials and but also the PPP’s polling agent among others. However, he then showed the result form issued by the government, in which the number of votes cast in the favour of the PPP were increased from 41 to 419.

He said that the PPP had the third position in the UC but it was declared having the first position in an ambush on the basic democracy.

'PPP celebrated failing Karachi'

Talking about the PPP’s victory celebrations, he questioned chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari if his party's celebrations were aimed at pushing Karachi and its people to the Stone Age.

“Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, you are celebrating for failing Karachi and Karachiites,” he said.

The JI leader said the total number of seats required to establish the local government in Karachi was 184. He added that if the JI formed a coalition with the PTI, their number would be 191, excluding six union committees whose matter was pending before judiciary.

JI-PTI talks on advanced stage

He announced that talks between the JI and PTI had entered into an advanced stage and details in this regard would be shared with the media at an appropriate time. He reiterated that the JI would form the local government in Karachi.

He remarked that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) was acting in a manner as if it had been held hostage by the PPP. He also criticised the PPP for amending the local government law at a time when the polls had been held and the government was yet to be formed.

He said that unfortunately, the Rangers had played the role of a mere spectator in Karachi when the PPP’s supporters were rigging the elections. 

The JI leader also condemned the Sindh government as well as the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) for slashing the population of Karachi into half in the census.

Talking about the situation of law and order across the country, he said the government was responsible to maintain law and order.

He said the government needs to abstain from revenge politics. The JI did not support disturbance and violence in the name of protests at any cost but at the same time it also opposed any attempt to resort to undemocratic and draconian measures against a political party or group.

He particularly condemned the government for arresting female political workers.