- ECP to charge Rs 15 per vote for recounting
- Many of PTI candidates can not afford vote recount charges: Shireen Mazari
What has ended in the provincial metropolitan will resume in front of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) office in the federal capital, Pakistan Today has learnt.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) workers on Monday ended a sit-in after eight days at Ghazi Chowk against alleged rigging in NA-125 only to resume it in the capital a week later.
The supporters chanted slogans in favour of their leaders and demanded a recount in various constituencies. They alleged that PML-N candidate Khawaja Saad Rafiq had won the seat through rigging. They demanded that special arrangements should be made for recounting.
The sit-in was ended on the call of PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s sister Aleema Khan.
“We have been observing the sit-in not by taking money or any support even from the party; it is our support for our leader Imran Khan who has done so much but had to lose on these seats owing to rigging. We are ending it here only to resume it in Islamabad and the people will witness the show on 26th,” a PTI supporter said.
Friday’s press conference of the PTI Punjab leadership said the entire conference is going to be in front of the ECP office against the alleged rigging in various seats.
Meanwhile, the ECP has said that the required technology will be made available in a week or so and each candidate will be charged Rs 15 for getting verified each voter and that the tribunal will give approval to each recount.
The PTI however took the announcement with a lot of resentment saying the move will only benefit the poor and ignore the scores of candidates from humble backgrounds who cannot afford the expensive mode of recount announced by the ECP.
“We are against this in principle because the PTI has given tickets to poor candidates who cannot afford this much amount. Only those could be able to get the votes recounted who have deep pockets but not ordinary candidates,” said PTI Information Secretary Shireen Mazari.