LAHORE: The opposition plans to launch a joint struggle for electoral reforms to end rigging.

A consensus in this regard was reached at during a meetingbetween leaders of the PML-Q and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) here on Tuesday.

A PTI delegation headed by Punjab Organiser Chaudhry Sarwar called on PML-Q senior central leader and former deputy prime minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi at his residence here.

PML-Q`s Moonis Elahi, Chaudhry Zaheeruddin Khan and Mian Munir and PTPs Mian Mahmoodur Rashid, Abdul Aleem Khan and Nadeem Khan were alsopresent in the meeting.

The meeting agreed to unite all opposition parties on one platform tolaunch ajoint effortfor electoral reforms and stop rigging in future elections.

Talking to reporters after the meeting, Elahi said all opposition parties would have to join hands against rigging.

`Rigging will not end without electoral reforms. Systematic rigging turns a winning candidate into a loser who gets reliefnowhere,` he added.

He further said projects such as the Metro Bus Project and Orange Line train were not for public welfare but `committing corruption of billions of rupees`.

`The Nandipur Power Project is closed but the Punjab government is running advertisements that it is functional. The rulers have not yet added a single megawatt to power generation,` he said, adding there was shortage of beds and medicines at public hospitals in Lahore.

Elahi said those who promised the people of not levying new taxes in the budget had now introduced a mini-budget by imposing taxes of Rs40 billion.

Sarwar alleged post-poll rigging was being committed after two phases of local body elections.

`N-League candidates who were defeated with a small margin of votes are being declared successful in the name of recounting,` he said, adding all institutions and public servants in Punjab were involved in politics.

He also said the Punjab government had planned torigthe third phase oflocalpolls in the province. He said all opposition parties would have to evolve a joint strategy to give a tough time to the PML-N government.

He added that even the PPP, which was an ally of the government, was now speaking against alleged rigging by PML-N candidates. He also demanded setting up of a Punjab Finance Commission so funds were equally utilised in all areas in the province.