There will be no fresh elections, says ECP

• ECP spokesman says resignations by multiple lawmakers did not call for general elections but only by-elections in respective constituencies in 60 days
• Imran warns shutting down whole country if placed under house arrest, says he will soon put the lid off elections rigging, urges masses to join Azadi March on 14th
• PTI sources says party will woo JI for long march, rule out chances of Khan’s meeting with Nisar

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s demand for a “Naya Pakistan” Sunday suffered a blow as the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) ruled out the possibility of any new general elections, making it clear that elections would be held as per schedule in year 2018 and if any lawmaker resigned from the national or provincial assembly, by-election would be held in that constituency within the stipulated timeframe of 60 days.

‎Since May 2013, PTI has been accusing the ECP and returning officers for their alleged involvement in mass scale rigging in favour of Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N), depriving PTI of its electoral win in 2013 general elections.

According to some media reports, PTI chief Imran Khan has sought resignations from party MNAs and MPAs to build pressure on the Nawaz government ahead of long march on August 14.

However, in a statement issued Sunday, spokesman of ECP said that if any lawmaker resigns, the commission would arrange by-polls in vacant constituencies within 60 days.

The spokesman said that resignations by multiple lawmakers did not mean to re-conduct general elections, and if some parliamentarians resigned, the commission would conduct by-elections in their constituencies.

The spokesman said that function of the commission was to conduct free and fair elections in the country. He said the ECP has arranged by-polls in 28 constituencies during last year.

KHAN WANTS NAYA PAKISTAN:

In the meanwhile, addressing his workers in Lahore, PTI Chairman Imran Khan on Sunday assured his party supporters that his “Azadi March” to Islamabad on August 14 will end Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s “monarchical rule”.

Highlighting the differences between a monarchy and a democracy, Khan said that in a democracy the system was based on merit, the ruler was accountable under the law and did not spend tax money on oneself, contrary to the workings of the Sharif government.

Khan clarified that he will not end his long march and return from the federal capital till the formation of a “Naya Pakistan”.

“Punjab Police and its administration should decide whether they are servants of Sharifs or Pakistan,” Khan said, asking, “Does Nawaz Sharif pay your salaries out of his own pocket?”

“The present rulers’ time is up, we will now get fair elections conducted,” he maintained, warning that if any worker of his party was tortured, the rulers of Punjab would “not get any place to hide”.

Commenting over the issue of resignations of PTI parliamentarians, Khan said resignations were no big deal as PTI workers were even ready to lay down their lives for the cause they had been struggling for. He said he would hold a press conference in a couple of days and put the lid off on how the general elections of 2013 were rigged.

Urging party workers to step out in large numbers, Khan assured them that all security arrangements had been made for their protection. He called upon his workers in Lahore to start their journey to the capital city for “Azadi March” with 100,000 motorcycles.

Claiming that this was a decisive moment for Pakistan, Khan said that he will not strike a deal with the government nor will he call off his march.

The PTI chief said that upon reaching Islamabad, he would provide the government with a few options. Further, he said, re-elections would be conducted under a transparent electoral process.

Khan said that he will hold a series of press conferences, the first one on August 5 to reveal the constituencies which were rigged during the general elections, a second near August 10 to reveal how the PML– N carried out the rigging and a third to name the people involved.

The PTI leadership had already slammed the door shut on negotiations with the government. Instead, the party began mobilising its supporters for the “Azadi March” at Islamabad’s D-Chowk on August 14.

OF HALF COOKED ALLIANCES:

‎Meanwhile, PTI has also accelerated its efforts to woo like-minded political parties to join its “million-march” and its high-level delegation led by PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi will hold a meeting with Jamat-e-Islami (JI) chief Sirajul Haq, sources within PTI told Pakistan Today.

According to sources, the meeting was being held to seek political support for the march scheduled to be taken out from Lahore on August 14.

Qureshi would be accompanied by PTI Punjab President Ijaz Chaudhry while either chief minister or a senior minister from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government would also be present during the meeting.

However, JI chief Sirajul Haq on Sunday said that PTI call for a long march was “justified” but he was not in favour of dissolving the KP Assembly.

Distancing himself from recent reports that suggest PTI leaders may hand in their resignations from the National Assembly, Haq said, “If PTI chooses to step down from power it would be entirely their own choice.”

In the meanwhile, contrary to media reports of a meeting to be held between PTI chief and the government, no meeting is scheduled to be held between Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan and PTI chief Imran Khan today, PTI leaders said.

“No meeting is scheduled to be held between Imran Khan and Chaudhry Nisar. Khan Sahib is actually in Lahore and he will not be visiting Islamabad today,” said PTI Media Cell In-charge Rizwan Chaudhry.

However, Chaudhry said that the PTI parliamentary party meeting would take place in federal capital today to chalk out a strategy for the National Assembly session starting today.

Asked if Khan was going to address the party’s lawmakers, the PTI media official did not rule out the possibility, stating that he was unaware of any such address.