Exposing the so-called good governance in KP
It runs in the party. The streak in the PTI led it to use the KP police for rigging the elections. This led all other political parties join a chorus of condemnation against the worst ever rigging in Local Government polls in KP. It is not only the PPP and the PML-N which have criticised the use of government machinery for stealing the election. Jamaat-e-Islami, which is the PTI’s coalition partner for the last two years, has gone to town over how the provincial administration manipulated the polls, particularly in the provincial capital. JUI-F too has accused CM Khattak of directing the police to help his party. The police took no notice as ruling party supporters forcibly took away ballot boxes, stopped opponents from casting votes and violated the code of conduct. The JUI-F has promised to provide the PTI the taste of its own medicine by holding rallies and sit-ins throughout the province.
The explanation given by KP police chief for the arrest of Mian Iftikhar is bizarre and totally unacceptable. The way the arrest was effected marks the end of due process. The ‘explanation’ too came after a spontaneous outburst of indignation over the arrest. After the murdered boy’s father exonerated the ANP leader and said he did not know who got him nominated in the case, the claims by Imran Khan of the KP police being independent were widely seen to be hollow. The IGP said Mian Iftikhar was nominated because of public pressure. This proves that any opponent can be booked in KP for a most heinous crime if pressure is exerted by the PTI’s unruly crowds.
The way KP police has behaved shows that it is no more than a puppet in the hands of PTI. Mian Iftikhar was arrested forthwith despite his innocence. Ali Amin Gandapur, caught red-handed while forcibly taking away the ballot boxes, was not because he is PTI’s minister. The LG elections will expose the myth of good governance in KP.
