Khan puts faith in MI, ISI for election probe

• PTI chief gives govt time till Nov 30 to form SC-headed commission with members of ISI, MI onboard to probe election rigging, says commission should submit report within four to six weeks
• Khan says he does not trust Justice Jillani, proposes name of Nasir Aslam Zahid for new CEC

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has rejected the name of former chief justice of Pakistan Tasadduq Hussain Jillani for the post of chief election commissioner (CEC) and said that his party will only accept an election commission composed of neutral members.

Addressing a large public rally in Rahimyar Khan, the PTI chief reiterated his stance that the 2013 General Elections were rigged but backed out of his earlier demand of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s resignation. Instead, the PTI chief demanded the induction of members of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and Military Intelligence (MI) in a commission headed by the Supreme Court to investigate the poll rigging.

Giving the government till November 30 to set up the commission, Khan warned that if the government did not accept the demand, he would announce a new course of action and the PM would be responsible for any losses incurred.

APPOINTMENT OF CEC:

Expressing lack of confidence in Jillani for the post of CEC, the PTI chief said, “We respect you but do not trust that you will remain impartial. Therefore, you should not become the election commissioner.”

“The election commissioner should be someone agreed upon by all the political parties of the country,” said Khan and proposed the name of Nasir Aslam Zahid for the new CEC on behalf of PTI.

Khan said that if the government falls, then an impartial EC needs to be formed and all current members of the EC would have to resign.

“If elections are held after the commission report, they should be held under a new EC because we have no trust in the present four election commissioners,” said Khan.

Moreover, the PTI chairman has asked the premier to resume dialogue with his party and constitute a SC-headed commission comprising members of ISI and MI to investigate alleged electoral fraud.

An impartial person, agreed upon mutually by the PTI chief and PM Sharif, should be appointed as the commission’s head, said Khan.

The commssion should submit a report within four to six weeks, said Khan, adding that in the meanwhile, PTI would continue its sit-in and Sharif could continue as PM.

“If the commission gives the decision that rigging took place, Sharif has to hand in his resignation and hold new elections,” Khan said.

Reiterating his resolve to make a new Pakistan, the PTI chief said that a sea of people would enter Islamabad on November 30, if the PM did not accept his demand to set up the commission with members of ISI and MI.

Addressing the rally, the PTI chief said that he is staging sit-ins for the people of Pakistan because if the rigging is not stopped, there would never be free, fair and transparent elections in Pakistan.

“The poor masses only have the power of the vote to teach the governemnt a lesson,” adding that if the government knows that it would again come to power through rigging, it would not care for the price hike or unemployment.

“I spent eight days in jail in Dera Gazi Khan for the independence of the judiciary,” he said, claiming that he is the only political leader whom the nation trusts.

Announcing the schedule of PTI’s upcoming protests, Khan said that the “tsunami” would reach Nankana Sahib on November 12 (Wednesday), Sahiwal on November 15, Jhehlum on November 16 and Gujranwala on November 19.

“We will reach Larkana on November 21,” he added.

KHAN VS PPP IN NAUDERO:

In the meanwhile, the PTI chief has decided to contest the next elections from Pakistan People’s Party stronghold Naudero from the NA 207 seat, said sources. PTI leaders have been given duties and responsibilities in Larkana in this regard.

Sources revealed that, PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi has many followers in Naudero while Mumtaz Bhutto will also support Khan.