Govt bent on rigging by-polls: Khan

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Tuesday alleged that the government was making all-out efforts to rig the upcoming by-elections.

Addressing various rallies in NA-129, Khan said the Punjab government was openly supporting PML-N’s candidates.

He said the government had failed to stop the prevailing wave of violence, while other national issues including inflation were increasing day-by-day.

Khan also said wherever he wished to go and address public gatherings for campaigning purposes, he was not allowed or hurdles were created, adding that the Punjab government was putting obstacles in the way of PTI’s rallies. However, he added the party would put try as hard as they could to win the elections.

Addressing a public gathering in Pindi Bhattian, the PTI chairman said his party wanted a new Pakistan where there was justice‚ equality and respect for all.

“We have introduced such a system in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa that justice will be given to the people at the village level and a self-accountability system will be introduced under which everyone will be answerable to the public.”

Army:

Khan demanded deployment of the army not just at “sensitive” polling stations identified as such by the ECP but at all polling stations in the country on 22 August to ensure fair elections.

“In terms of rigging, all polling stations across the country could be categorised as sensitive,” Khan said.

The PTI chairman said the polling staff drawn from the provincial bureaucracies had failed to maintain the sanctity of the ballot in the May 11 general elections and therefore it was essential to have the army present at all the polling stations.

He reiterated that the PTI would not tolerate a repetition of the irregularities and rigging that had marred the May 11 elections.