- PTI chairman demands complete audit of 2013 general elections, says if Afghans can do it, so can the PML-N government
- Says govt trying to sabotage PTI’s ‘Azadi March’ by announcing Independence Day celebrations at D-Chowk in Islamabad on the same day
- PPP co chairman terms Sharif a ‘monarch’, expresses dismay over PM not agreeing with vote recount
- Lashes out at PM for interfering in provincial matters
Shedding the impression of a ‘friendly opposition’, former president and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Co Chairman Asif Ali Zardari on Tuesday endorsed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s demand for recounting of votes in four constituencies, as the cricketer-turned-politician broadened the scope of PTI’s demand, now asking for a complete audit of last year’s general elections.
Addressing a press conference soon after his London trip, Khan said that the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) had delayed implementation on his party’s demand for a vote recount in four National Assembly constituencies, hence, this demand was no more valid now.
“If a recount of eight million votes in Afghanistan election could be made, why recounting in four constituencies was not conducted? Election Commission should tell who is blocking votes recount,” asserted Khan.
The PTI chief alleged that PML-N was tampering votes polled in four constituencies in the basement of an educational institution, COMSATS, in Islamabad.
“We know all those three main persons involved in carrying out rigging operation at COMSATS,” Khan claimed, also alleging that CCTV cameras were forcefully switched off so that rigging could take place on May 11 last year.
ON AZADI MARCH AND LONGSTANDING ISSUES:
Moreover, Khan said the PML-N government was trying to sabotage PTI’s “Azadi March” by announcing Independence Day celebrations at D-Chowk Islamabad on the same day PTI had announced its demonstration on August 14.
Promising a peaceful rally, he warned the government not to put hurdles in the way of “Azadi March”. However, he said that his party was not against the army’s parade which would take place in the morning, while the PTI’s march would reach the capital in the evening.
Commenting over the situation of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Bannu, the PTI chief demanded Rs 20 billion from the federal government so the provincial government could meet its expenses in carrying out relief operation for IDPs.
“Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif should step down over the issues being faced by IDPs and not taking my party into confidence over operation Zarb-e-Azb. Nawaz had promised me that PTI will be taken into confidence before launching a military operation in North Waziristan.”
Khan also demanded resignation from Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif over Model Town incident and from Abid Sher Ali over false claims of power generation from Nandipur power plant. He also demanded Finance Minister Ishaq Dar to step down for “lying” to the nation and international monetary bodies regarding improved economic indicators.
PTI-PPP BONDS GET STRONGER:
Asked about PPP chief Asif Zardari’s statement to support PTI’s stance, Khan said that the statement by PPP chief was “positive” as Zardari had labelled Nawaz a “monarch instead of prime minister”.
“PTI doesn’t carry ill feelings towards any political party. However, PPP’s government was better than PML-N’s governments in the Centre and Punjab,” he said, adding that PPP had been providing electricity at half rates as compared to present hike in electricity bills.
ZARDARI ENDORSES KHAN’S DEMAND:
Early Tuesday, in a statement issued by the PPP’s media wing, Zardari had reinforced Khan’s demand for votes’ recount, saying that if need be recount could be carried out in 40 constituencies instead of four.
In his first criticism after leaving the Presidency, Zardari said that people had elected Sharif as the prime minister of the country and not as a “monarch”. He also criticised Nawaz’s interference in other provinces.
The former president expressed surprise and dismay over the government’s delay in vote recount for four constituencies in Lahore. “The heavens would not have fallen if the demand was accepted,” the statement issued by spokesperson Senator Farhatullah quoted him as saying.
Recounting of votes in dubious constituencies should be carried out whether such constituencies were in Punjab, Sindh or elsewhere, the former president said.
Zardari, who was in London yesterday, said that PPP had accepted poll results for “democracy’s sake” but it could not abandon people who were suffering load shedding and water shortages in sweltering heat.
Separately, PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi contacted Zardari, seeking his party’s participation in the Independence Day rally of the PTI on August 14.
Qureshi told the former president that other political parties and party leaders such as Khurshid Shah, Pakistan Muslim League – Quaid and Pakistan Awami Tehreek Chairman Dr Tahirul Qadri had also been invited to the rally.
This was the first time Qureshi contacted Zardari after he had part ways with PPP in February 2011 over an issue involving US’s CIA operative Raymond Davis.
