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PPP sees 'mala fide' intentions in

The News, By our correspondent, 29/8/2002
http://jang.com.pk/thenews/aug2002-daily/29-08-2002/metro/k9.htm

KARACHI - The PPP has expressed surprise over the questionnaire of the University Grants Commission issued to party chief Benazir Bhutto to seek details about her educational qualification and termed it as an act to debar the party leader from the election.

The Sindh PPP chief, Nisar Khuhro, stated on Wednesday that the Pakistan High Commission in London attested the educational certificates of Benazir Bhutto and these documents was submitted before the Returning Officer along with the nomination papers.

He said that issuing of UGC questionnaire proved that the regime had plans to stop the PPP chairperson from contesting the election. He said on the one hand a questionnaire was issued for Benazir Bhutto but on the other, the regime directed the election officers to accept the fake degrees and certificates of the king's party candidates. Quoting an example, Khuhro said that the RO accepted the certificate of a religious school submitted by a candidate of the king's party in Nawabshah. He said this certificate was challenged but the objections were rejected by the RO. He said in Badin a candidate of the king's party submitted a fake BBA degree while the nomination paper of same candidate was rejected in the local bodies election on the grounds that he was a non-matric.

Khuhro said that the issuing of questioner was unconstitutional, unethical and undemocratic and declared that the people of Sindh would resist if Benazir Bhutto was debar from contesting election.

According to sources, the questionnaire required detailed personal information about the candidate, qualifications, details about the foreign degrees and equivalent of these degrees with Pakistani degrees, sources of financing the study abroad, marks in matric, FA, BA, MA, M Phil, PhD and any others, name of the institutions and medium of instruction.

Meanwhile, the acting secretary-general, Raza Rabbani, provided a detailed list of polling stations location of which was changed abruptly some days ago. He said that a total of 41 polling stations' locations had been changed. In a letter to the Chief Election Commissioner, Rabbani pointed out that such methods were just a part of the pre-poll rigging.