- Gohar asks ECP not to issue notifications of candidates who won polls fraudulently
- Secret agencies’ chiefs should apologize to nation for meddling in judicial, and electoral affairs: Opposition Leader
- Hamid Raza seeks filing of FIR under Article 6 against ECP, Punjab govt for making mockery of constitution
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) announced to hold a strong protest demonstrations across the country against the blatant and brazenly rigged by-polls on Friday and demanded the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to withhold the notifications of those who fraudulently secured victory because it could not be called an elections in anyway but a farce.
Addressing the press conference along with PTI Secretary General and Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Omar Ayub Khan and Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) Chairman Sahibzada Hamid Raza, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan said that the by-elections were to hold the government accountable, but unfortunately, what was done on the day of the by-elections in Punjab it was a dark and shameful day for democracy.
He said that the mandate thieves resorted to such shameful and vindictive steps to coercive people and officials to rig elections in presence of the representatives of the ECP, as the vote boxes were even stuffed well before the start of voting process at some polling stations, which was even unthinkable even in the rule of the worst dictator.
PTI Chairman stated that he and the Opposition Leader Omar Ayub visited various polling stations and saw the blatant polls rigging at various polling stations.
He went on to say that they apprised the electoral watchdog regarding all the details related to the polls rigging in Gujarat instantly but the electoral body was yet to take any action in this regard despite lapse of 24 hours, which raised many eyebrows.
PTI Chairman lamented that the constitution, democracy and rule of law were virtually suspended in the country.
Gohar recalled that that after mega polls robbery in general elections, they had demanded that the returning officers should be taken from the judiciary instead of the administration; however, the ECP didn’t accept their rightful and fair demand.
He stated that the IG Punjab was equally responsible for the mega polls fraud, adding that they were also looking at the role of the polls supervisory body, which was miserably failed to conduct transparent and fair elections.
He urged the ECP not to notify these people who secured victorious fraudulently in the by-polls.
PTI Chairman made it clear that they raised the issue before the Supreme Court and the electoral watchdog during general elections and they should be apprised as what steps were taken for curbing polls rigging hitherto.
He revealed that our poling agents were forced out of the polling stations by police who was working under Punjab government; hence they were accomplice in the polls rigging as well.
Speaking on the occasion, Omar Ayub said that the Sunday’s by-elections was in no way could be called an election but a farce exercise in which only tax payers’ money was wasted.
He said that 24 hours ago, internet services were shut down for pre-polls rigging because the government, which was production of form-47, did not have the courage to hold free, fair and transparent elections in the country.
He said that the ballot boxes were stuffed at many polling stations in the morning, the video of which was also available. Omar stated that the Returning Officer in Bajaur wrote a letter regarding threats, pressure and harassment he faced at the hands of the intelligence agencies to rig the polls, which was unfortunate.
PTI Secretary General demanded that both letters written by IHC six judges and RO Bajaur pertaining to the agencies role in meddling into judicial and electoral process should be investigated thoroughly.
“I call on the heads of all intelligence agencies, working in Pakistan, to probe into the allegations leveled against their respective agencies and apologize to the nation for interfering in the elections and judicial affairs surfacing the letters of the six judges of IHC and the RO Bajaur.
He said that five agencies operating in Pakistan include: IB, special branch, ISI, field intelligence unit and military intelligence and their heads should come clean and tell the truth to the nation plainly as to why they interfered in the election process.
He vowed that they would raise these points on the floor of the house emphatically and would not rest until take the issue to its logical ends.
Omar revealed that a cameraman and reporter of 92 news and GNN news channels were dragged and arrested by the Punjab police and brutally tortured them.
PTI Secretary General stated that when they confronted the police and they were told that the journalists were not detained by police but agencies officials, who were roaming around in police uniform.
Omar went on to say that the Punjab police crossed all limits of barbarism and lawlessness, as even the police blocked their way for three hours because high ups of police showed their helpless, who pleaded that they had an order from above not to allow me and Barrister Gohar.
He lamented that lawlessness and rule of jangle prevailed in the country and only the orders of king of jangle were being executed.
Omar stated that the opposition alliance ‘Tehreek-e-Tahfuz Aain’ or the Movement for Protection of the Constitution would hold its public meetings in Faisalabad, then next jalsa to be held in Karachi on May 5, followed by a series of public meetings in North and center Punjab, besides holding public meetings in inner Sindh and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.
The Opposition Leader vowed that the opposition protest movement would continue until ensuring supremacy of constitution and upholding rule of law in the country.
He announced that they would hold a massive protest demonstration on Friday across the country against this factitious and massive rigged elections, which would be attended by all the party’s national and provincial assemblies’ representatives as well as ticketholders.
Speaking on the occasion, Hamid Raza said that it would be an insult to the elections to call the Sunday’s by-polls as an election because results were forcibly taken from the ROs and the presiding officers were bribed in the Governor house and those, who refused were not only badly tortured but were also coerced to sign Form 45.
He said that a video was made in the governor’s house, wherein money were doled out among people in lieu of votes, which was shameful and disgusting.
He said that ECP once again proved it played its role in protecting mandate thieves and ensure their victory. Therefore, Hamid Raza stated that it would not be enough to condemn the brazen and blatant polls theft but an FIR under Article 6 should be registered against ECP and Punjab government of Punjab because the constitution of Pakistan had not been openly mocked in this way ever in history. “We completely reject this election and these results,” he added.
He made it clear that the opposition alliance under the banner of Movement for Restoration of Constitution would hold its historic public meeting in Faisabalad, which would be beginning of the marathon protest movement in Punjab while staying within the ambit of the constitution and law.
He said that Punjab police crossed all limits of barbarism and fascism under the tout of IG Punjab and he should bear in mind that they would not tolerate their fascism anymore.
Hamid Raza stated that the current rulers were the patronage of thieves of kacha and vowed that people would hold thieves of Pakka and kacah accountable through this historic movement.
He said that they were standing firmly with PTI Founding Chairman Imran Khan and they were taking all steps as per his directions, vowing the protest movement to continue till reclaiming the mandate theft.
