LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan on Wednesday vowed to lodge criminal cases, under Article 6 of the Constitution, against Returning Officers who were allegedly involved in rigging the May 2013 general elections.
After appearing before the election tribunal Lahore headed by Justice Kazim Ali Malik at the Punjab office of Election Commission of Pakistan, Imran reiterated that he had proof of the alleged rigging committed by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) in the 2013 general elections.
“I will produce all proof of rigging at a press conference on Friday,” he said while surrounded by senior leaders of his party.
Citing an inspection report by a commission in PP-147, he said record of 60 polling stations out of a total of 115 could not be found. He added that those ballots found in the record were unverified.
“If I was in place of Nawaz Sharif, I would order recounting and inspection of the entire election record,” the PTI chief maintained.
However, Imran said he trusts Kazim Ali Malik. He urged the tribunal to decide the case of NA-122 at the earliest so that the public could learn the truth.
Earlier, the PTI chief had filed an application before election tribunal seeking his exemption from appearing before it as an electoral petition pertaining to NA-122 is heard.
He explained that PTI was gearing up to hold a massive rally in Islamabad on November 30, which made it difficult for him to appear before the tribunal. He implored the judge to exempt him from appearing personally, adding that his counsel will submit a written reply on his behalf.
The judge, after hearing the plea, exempted Imran from personally attending the hearing scheduled for November 29.
Meanwhile, a separate application was moved by the PTI chief before tribunal requesting the judge not to link decisions of petitions about alleged rigging in NA-122 and PP-147 of Lahore.
Tribunal member Kazim Ali Malik on Tuesday had reserved verdict on a petition filed by PTI’s Shoaib Siddiqui, who had challenged results of the constituency which saw PML-N’s Mohsin Latif win.
The tribunal, however, had linked the announcement of the verdict with a decision of another petition moved by Imran challenging the win of National Assembly speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq from NA-122, Lahore.
Govt feels threatened by Nov 30 rally
Talking to media about the upcoming November 30 rally, PTI chief expressed his resolve to continue with the November 30 rally and said the government should refrain from creating hurdles for PTI supporters.
He said the venue for the November 30 rally will not change, and if the government tries to stop the protesters, it would be responsible for the consequences.
Imran claimed that the government felt threatened by their November 30 rally and hence was bent upon threatening party workers. He said reports of police raids, and even arrests were being received from Lahore in the wake of the November 30 rally.
He added that transporters were also being pressurised by the government to deter them from transporting protesters to the capital. Imran said the party had knocked on all doors before taking their protests to the streets.
On other hand PML-N leader Zaeem Qadri said that if the November 30 remains within the bounds of the Constitution and does not violate the law, it will be permitted.
Responding the allegations leveled by Imran regarding rigging in May 2013 general elections, he said Imran should present his proof before the election commission.
PTI asks LHC to stop govt from harassing supporters
Separately, PTI’s Punjab Chapter on Wednesday filed a writ petition in the Lahore High Court urging it to restrain the Punjab government from arresting party workers.
President of PTI Ijaz Ahmad Chaudhry claimed that Punjab government was using various tactics to stop their party’s protest from being held in Islamabad on November 30.
The petitioner stated that many of the workers had been taken into custody while many of them were being harassed by police. He added that police were also raiding houses of PTI workers.
Chaudhry said that arrest of PTI workers was illegal and unlawful and contrary to their fundamental rights.
The petitioner requested the court to stop the police from harassing and raiding houses of of PTI workers.
COMMENTS (26)
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No one has questioned...why IK plans to file criminal cases against RO`s ? each & every comment....
@Sabir:
Why ? On what ground are you saying IK is not good ? can you please explain basis of your negativity or just because you do not like his face ?
I think Imran Khan is not a Good Person
@Amjad:
If ANP has any reservation, why have they not approached Election tribunal yet for re-count in KP. IK has more than once accepted for a recount on any constituencies in KP if any one has any doubt ? unlike all other parties who says rigging took place but not reported to election commission or filed request for recount. So, Mr Amjad, it is not only you who seem obsessed with IK without justification....IK has & is not creating any obstacles for recount in KP...go ahead do it...any one, go ahead ! unlike all those guys from 4 constituencies who have taken shelter behind stay order. If these guys from 4 constituencies are so confident that the election was fair, why have they got stay order for recount ?
Ok even if we believe this rigging story then how pti will counter the anp's massive rigging allegations in kpk? Personally i dont reject rigging allegations but at same time i believe everyone got benefited from it whether it was plmn, ppp, mqm or pti and it happens every where in 3rd world countries. It will take us generations to reach the democratic maturity which civilized nations in west are enjoying today. Trust me it never happens like this way which our beloved ik is chasing. The reality is that ik was so overconfident through the wave of social media about his victory and becoming the next pm that he could not realize that our elite class which was supporting him was not more 20-25%. Imagine if ik succeeds in overthrowing NS like this was and if he becomes PM how he would face any aggitation if NS starts doing the same? Unfortunately the weitage of vote of a doctor an engineer or a phd is same as that of a hari in interior sindh. There is no shortcut to big tasks.
@Amjad:
PPP govt was also a democratically elected govt, pls refresh you memory, rather PML N govt has come through rigging & that all political parties have conceded in the Parliament, and PML N representatives from 4 constituencies where IK says rigging took place, took stay order to stop for election tribunal for re-count. If PML N reps is confident of no rigging, then why are they hiding behind stay order ? even Nisar Sb has conceded in NA that there are 60,000 to 70,000 votes are un-verified in each constituencies. The present govt has not set priorities, instead focusing on big projects ignoring basic necessities for the general & poor public.....why are we not reading SBP reports, what the country is going through in economic terms ?
Musharraf ruled this country illegally for nine years and these champions IK & TuQ were all the way silent. Similarly PPP crushed this country for 5 consecutive years and these saviours were again silent. Now a democratically elected govt is in place and these so called champs have come to overthrow why? Answer is simple they know very well if this govt succeeds in completion of mega projects then these guys will completely wiped out from Pakistan's political scenario for ever. So they are unable to digest this bitter truth. We should not forget that the way for consistant prosperity goes through democracy, at least for politically tough countries like Pakistan
The problem with us is, we cannot digest truth. Person who is honest & truthful will always speak like IK is speaking, which many do not like & appreciate, because truth is always bitter. All those 4 constituencies which IK is demanding to open for re-count etc; is under stay order by those who have won from these constituencies. If those person who are confident that they have won without any rigging, then why have they got stay order from the court ? IK went to the street after exhausting all options, is he then not correct, beside, all political parties including PPP agree that the election was not fair. Why the EC till today not put form 14, 15 & 16 on their website ? it seem people like to comment only for the sake of commenting without doing their homework, or just because they are obsessed with IK....IK / TuQ has opened the can of worms & unveiled the abhorrent practices of the people in power & those who live in the glass house called " Parliament ". IK / TuQ has awaken the people to claim their rights as per constitution, justice & the right to live like a human being, not like poor people living below their dignity. Is this what you guys call " democracy " ? 2 parties taking turns...have you all forgotten the way PML N party was calling all sort of names against AAZ. SS need to change his name, because that is what he promised to do if his party could not end load-shedding within 90 days, & bring the looted money of AAZ by dragging him in the street...you all forgotten those big talks ? NS begging all to invest in the country, yet he is not letting his own sons to invest in Pakistan, why ? PML N promised to break the begging bowl, yes! they did but forwarded a bigger bowl ? So, who is fooling the mass ? not any more & that is what all the present political parties are afraid off. They realize their days are numbered & people will catch them by their collar & demand their rights as per constitution...if these political parties are so sincere, then why they are avoiding local govt election for the past 6 1/2 years ? why are they not implementing 40 articles of the constitution ? they can just talk & make fool of people like many of us who just supports these 2 main status quo parties, for their self-interest & have no guts to go & seek poor people opinion in the street, are they satisfied with the governance of these 2 main political parties govt for the past 6 1/2 years or before that ? go & ask, if you have the stomach to digest these poor people backlash....metros, fly-overs & underpass, laptops, yellow cab schemes, etc; is not going to fill the stomach of these poor people. The govt has to set priorities, which is glaringly absent....
It never happens in any civilized country what is going on in Pakistan. At least we should give one credit to IK that he has introduced culture of vulgarity and abuses in young generation and you can witness that everu where in social media.
@sabi: We the nation are giving him ouu shoulder and you need to put up your spectacles and see the amount of people in the Jalsa's in any city you name!
@F Khan: It was not a fare game damnit. We all saw it. In Karachi, in Lahore and let alone Sindh and Balochistan. HE is fightings for you people are you tend to make fun of him. Can you name any one leader who can live in a container and protest for continuous 100 days for the nation?? He is a sports man, that is why he is standing out for us. If it was Nawaz or Zardari, they would have soon packed their bags and gone home.
@M. Amir Ch: IK will fight till his last drop of blood for the rigging that PMLN did. NA-122 and all other ballots were rigged, records gone missing, and what not. But here I see people criticizing a person who is fighting for their rights. Such a shame that we don't deserve such a great leader
@M. Amir Ch: IK will fight till his last drop of blood for the rigging that PMLN did. NA-122 and all other ballots were rigged, records gone missing, and what not. But here I see people criticizing a person who is fighting for their rights. Such a shame that we don't deserve such a great leader.
All people who are writing this are paid by noon league , they like stausco because theyare getting paid by corrrupt government if there was a honest government they wont be paid , chicken heads . i have known sharif family before partition , i know what they were , read news papers of 1948 just after partition, when railways were run by steam engine hundred of tons of iron was used to bulid them , immagine such a heave thing vanished from lahore railway station . iron was melted in ittefaq foundry and macinary was made and sold for thousands .they become rich not i\by fair means .one must do research and then write
@F Khan: no doubt you are what you say...
All those terming IK as a liar need to first read the news article: The tribunal has said that 60 of the 115 or so bags are just don't exist. Our democracy stands on invisible ballots
This is the right way forward. Imran should have known that there are proper fora with procedures. He cannot consider himself above everyone and demand preferential treatment on his unconstitutional demands.
The guy has put the nation on stop for the last 100 days due to charges of massive election rigging and he still will provide proof of rigging on Friday. The international observers called the election as fair. The CEC was a a retired judge of repute. PMLN was in opposition.The gentleman who claims rigging of the highest order has a government in a province. The two other provinces are ruled by non PMLN government. Even Imran initially said there has been rigging on 4 seats and he wanted a recount. Now suddenly after a year he finds out that the elections were rigged to a monumental scale where the CJ and the COAS where NS yes man. With that scale of that planned rigging AAZ will walk off giving NS the chance to make a government.Does Imran think we are morons here and he would just say NAYA PAKISTAN and GO NAWAZ GO and we will catch the first train to d chowk.Get a life Imran. Be a sport, you lost and accept it. This way the nation is not going to vote for you either in 2018.
IK is a Great Leader. But Gullu League very much afraid of rigging.
just a stupid attention seeker. no one care what stupid khan has to say any more.
Great:)
When will this lunatic stop?
Lies more lies by Imran Khan, no wonder he popular with his new name Liar Khan, suits him well for he has failed to provide one solid proof of PMLn being involved in rigging or how it happened except for telling hearsay stories.
I am fed up and tired of this "proof" that has been coming for ever but just does not arrive while taking Pakistan hostage for more than 100 days. He is no better than a typical Pakistani politician. It is all about him and his greed for power, nothing else matters.
Finally he has realized nobody is going to give him shoulder.