MULTAN - Leader of the Opposition in the Punjab Assembly Raja Riaz Ahmed accused that the PML-N-led Punjab government rigged the recently by-elections. He claimed that the PML-N was the ruling party in the province and dubbed Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif as the 'head-master' of rigging.
Talking to the media persons after the funeral for PPP Senator Salahuddin Dogar, Raja Riaz criticised the Sharif brothers and termed them as production of dictatorship and rigging. He claimed that the Pakistan People's Party would make a clean sweep in the upcoming general elections.
He continued that the PML-N was well aware of its defeat in the by-elections which was evident from the past by-elections, adding that that's why the party committed massive rigging by utilising state machinery to save its face.
Raja Riaz observed that Sharif Brothers wanted to spread anarchy in the country. The PPP leader alleged that they (Sharifs) stole people's mandate as Asghar Khan case had brought many things to the fore.
To a question about action against Sharif Brothers, he argued that had the incumbent government arrested them the masses would have thought termed them as "political arrest." He, however, added that they would put pressure on the caretaker government to take action against Sharif brothers for steeling public mandate.
The Opposition leader also hailed the federal government for maintaining rule of law and Constitution as Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhary had also praised the government in this connection.
AWP to gear up struggle: Workers and peasants needed a new Pakistan that's why progressive people formed a new political force in shape of Awami Workers Party (AWP) to gear up struggle for alternative political farce to materialise the dream of a new democratic peoples' friendly Pakistan.  Chaudhry Fateh Mohammed expressed these views while speaking on the occasion of formation the AWP district committee here the other day.
He said that Pakistan had been hijacked by feudal and capitalists and formed an unholy alliance against the people of the country.  The feudal and capitalist class brought a miserable life to the majority of the people.
Speaking on the occasion, AWP Central Secretary General Farooq Tariq said that the PPP-led government had failed to solve people problems.
He also criticised the Punjab government for "what they called" spending the development budget in Lahore alone.
He said that the PML-N government was treating rest of the province on on discriminatory basis.
He said that the AWP would take part in the coming general elections and would try to present alternative to the religious fanatics and rich class politics.
Dr Assim Sajad Akhtar, Agha Sattar, Shazia Khan, Ayub Malik, Tariq Mehmood, Chaudhry Zubair, Chaudhry Abid, and Safia Haq also spoke on the occasion.
Later, a 23-members AWP district organizing committee was elected. A three member organizing secretariat was also elected included Tariq Mehmood, Safia Haq and Chaudhry Zubair.