Pakistan: '''Upcoming elections will not be fair and transparent'''

Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Farooq Sattar has said that the prevailing terrorist activities going on in different parts of Karachi and Quetta show that the upcoming general election would not be fair and transparent. While talking to the media in Karachi on Wednesday, he said, “If our government institutions are not fulfilling their duties of ensuring fair elections, then by default or design it is leading towards unfair and non-transparent elections.” In certain provinces, like Punjab, election climate is in full swing with parties holding big rallies, while MQM and few other parties are pushed aside and barred from carrying out their election campaign. “In the given circumstances, when we are receiving open threats from terrorists, our offices are being attacked and party officials being killed, we are in no position to hold big rallies like other parties,” Sattar said. On April 23, a crude bomb targeting MQM roadside office killed at least three people and injured 30 others. The attack, which took place in the Buffer Zone area, prompted the closure of all roadside camp offices of the party. Party chief Altaf Hussain had claimed that about 25 MQM activists, including an election candidate, have been killed over the past few days. Following the attacks, MQM had called for a strike in the region on Wednesday.