- PTI chief says has no qualms in holding re-elections under army supervision in all constituencies where alleged rigging has taken place
- Says ECP, not KP govt, responsible for conducting peaceful polls
- Federal govt spokesman Rashid says Imran Khan should sack party ministers involved in poll fraud to show sincerity in poll reforms
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Tuesday said his party is willing to conduct re-election in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa under army`s supervision if it is proved that local government elections held in the province were not fair.
“We are willing to hold re-elections in all the councils where rigging has allegedly taken place,” Khan said during a TV interview. He said the local government polls held in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have no precedent in history. “The polls were largest ever held in Pakistan,” Khan said, adding that 84,000 candidates contested in the polls and 41,000 won the seats. He said all political parties had joined forces against his party in the LB elections.
He further remarked that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) is responsible for conducting polls and not the provincial government. However, Khan said he was disappointed by the provincial administration’s inaction to restore order during the KP polls. “In some constituencies, opponents provoked tension for political mileage,” he said, adding that he was also dismayed by Jamaat-e-Islami’s claim of electoral fraud.
Khan said KP Finance Minister Ali Ameen Gandapur should step down from his office if charges against him of moving ballot boxes to his home were proved by the police. “Barring people from casting vote is also another kind of rigging,” said Khan, adding that rigging can never stop taking place if polls manipulators are not held accountable.
ECP ORDERS RE-ELECTION:
On Monday, the Election Commission decided to establish tribunals to hear complaints of rigging during local bodies (LB) elections held in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on May 30, while returning officers decided to hold re-election in 26 polling stations across the province in wake of rigging claims.
According to ECP officials, one tribunal would be constituted in each KP district under a retired district and session judge. The panels will be tasked with taking up complaints of candidates regarding irregularities in the polls and decide on them within 45 days.
Meanwhile, the returning officers (ROs) decided to hold re-election in 26 polling stations, including Mashokhel, Hazaarkhwaani and Ghalla Godown, after rampant claims of rigging during LB elections in KP. The decision was taken in the meeting of ROs in Peshawar on Monday. The presiding officers had registered written complaints that fake votes were cast in several districts of the province and some ballot boxes were also broken during the elections.
RASHID ASKS KHAN TO EXPEL POLL FRAUDSTERS:
Commenting on Imran Khan’s statement that he was willing to hold re-elections in KP, Federal Minister for Information Pervez Rashid said that the PTI chief should begin efforts for making elections free of rigging by first sacking his party ministers who were accused of manipulating election results.
In a statement, the minister said that Khan’s claim of fresh LG elections could be judged from his acceptance of the three pre-requisite steps.
“Imran Khan should expel all those persons from the party and KP government who tried to steal the election by killing opponents and using official machinery. Khan should also promise that he would not only expel those who tried to steal the elections but would also not issue them party tickets in fresh LG elections. The PTI chief should also disclose the names of the gang of four who advised the KP government to use notorious tactics to get desired electoral results,” he said, laying down his three demands to the PTI chief.
Rashid concluded that if Imran Khan fails to submit to the three demands, “he would be known in electoral history of Pakistan as chief of those who indulged in rigging to steal LG elections”.