The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) filed on Wednesday a petition in the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) fearing pre-poll rigging during the upcoming Punjab by-elections on July 17. The ECP had announced by-elections in twenty Punjab assembly constituencies that became vacant after 25 dissident PTI MPAs were de- seated by the ECP for voting in favor of Hamza Shahbaz Sharif. The petition has been filed by the PTI leaders including Omar Ayub, Riaz Fatyana and Iftikhar Durrani. The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has been named party in the application.

The PTI has also submitted of what it called proof of pre-poll rigging in the commission. The way things are going on in Punjab, there’s no way free and fair elections can be held, the petition read. Even after the election date was announced, different developmental scheme were announced in various constituencies which is a clear violation of Section 181 of the Election Act of 2017, it said adding that various election petitions have already been filed in this regard. Earlier, PTI Chief Imran Khan warned that by-elections in Punjab should be held free and fair on July 17 which he termed the first test of government to prove neutrality.

“They could only win elections through rigging and fear.” He also asked the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Raja to tell him how many times he visited PML-N’s Hamza Shahbaz and Maryam Nawaz. He said the by-polls are not an election, but their struggle has translated into a ‘jihad’ as he asked the women to go door-to-door to spread this message. The former prime minister said those speaking against the imported government are being threatened through different tactics to demoralize them as he vowed to never accept the ‘cabal of crooks’ irrespective of how many FIRs are lodged against him or other pressure tactics are used.

Credit:
Independent News Pakistan-INP