Friday, March 9, 2012

Waheeda Shah: Arrogant feudal convicted; denied status of MPA


For the first time in our political history, the arrogant feudal culture received a serious shock when the Election Commission of Pakistan found Waheeda Shah, a feudal candidate from PS 53 (Tando Mohammad Khan) and debarred her from taking part in any elections for next two years. Earlier, the Election Commission withheld the results of the Constituency and according to the fresh verdict the past elections declared cancelled and fresh by elections will he held in due course of time. Waheeda Shah was contesting elections on the PPP ticket following death of her husband who died of cancer. During the electoral process, she entered in one of the polling stations and after receiving some complaints against the polling staff, she slapped the Presiding Officer Habiba Memon and another polling staff member. A Private TV channel telecast the footage which was also shown almost all the private TV channel showing the arrogant lady using violence against the submissive polling officer. She was very harsh using filthy language against the Polling Officers presumably for not coming to her expectations in manipulating the elections in her favour.
The Election Commission had also ordered tough action against the DSP present on the scene who failed the violent feudal lady slapping and insulting the passing and submissive polling staff. The IGP Sindh was asked to take departmental action for failure to perform his lawful duty. Earlier, the Supreme Court had taken suo motu notice to the incident and summoned her to explain her position for using violence against the polling staff inside a polling station. She offered her apologies which the Supreme Court rejected and adjourned the case to be resumed for a next date. Now she had been found guilty and awarded a punishment by the Election Commission debarring her from contest elections for next two years. In any way, it is a good decision and for the first time a message is conveyed to all feudal and tribal chiefs that they too can be brought to justice if they tried to rig the next elections. Let us hope that the next general elections will be free and fair and officials, feudal lords and tribal elders will not use their powers in manipulating the elections. It is hoped that the next general elections will be free and fair having no parallel in our political history.

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