Imran renews call for fair polls after PTI's landslide victory over PML-N in Punjab

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) saw its victory in Sunday’s by-elections in Punjab as an endorsement of its demand for fresh elections in the country, with the party Chairman Imran Khan reiterating that “fair polls” were only way forward.

However, the former prime minister again called the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) “totally biased”, saying that new elections must be held under a credible ECP. He warned that any other path would only lead to greater political uncertainty and further economic chaos.

PTI’s resounding victory had not just jolted the ruling alliance, led by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) but also dented its hopes of completing the remaining constitutional tenure in the Centre.

“The only way forward from here is to hold fair & free elections under a credible ECP. Any other path will only lead to greater political uncertainty & further economic chaos,” Imran said in a tweet.

The defeat of the ruling coalition promptly triggered the debate if the political leadership sat together to decide about the rules of game for fresh elections before the country went for fresh elections.

Soon after election results starting coming in, the PTI and PML-Qauid leadership put forward the fresh ideas for moving ahead. PTI’s Fawad Chaudhry coined the idea of leadership of major political parties sitting together to decide rules of game for new elections as well as for bringing in political stability to the country.

Lauding PML-N’s reaction of accepting the defeat, especially by PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz, Fawad said that making rules of game was crucial to end the on-going political crisis.

He said that all the parties should show maturity as economic crisis was looming large and no party could turn around things in short time.

PML-Q’s Pervaiz Elahi suggested that the PML-N leadership should come forward to offer “let’s move ahead together” as it has lost the battel of narrative. Talking to a private TV channel, Elahi said that once he was elected the Punjab chief minister, he would not hesitate for a second in dissolving the Punjab assembly the minute Imran Khan told him to do so.

Elahi, who is also Punjab Assembly’s Speaker, seconded the call for a dialogue, saying dialogue had the power to solve even the most unthinkable issues.

In a late night press conference, PML-N leaders simply deferred the announcement of any decision in the fallout of the defeat in Punjab till the meeting with coalition partners, saying a collective decision would be taken. They downplayed the defeat and took credit for taking tough decisions for the betterment of the country.

Punjab has simultaneously given new life to the PTI and a big surprise to the ruling alliance but the question that dominated after the results was that if the top political leadership put personal differences aside and begin dialogue for next elections as well as bringing political and economic stability in the country.

However, dissolving the assemblies in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa would not be enough as Sindh and Balochistan assemblies could continue on way to completing their constitutional terms.

Fawad, while emphasising that elections were the only way forward, admitted that holding fresh elections in the country were possible if PPPP Chairman Asif Ali Zardari agreed to dissolving the Sindh Assembly. “Rules of game are necessary for political stability,” he said.

Despite PTI’s victory, Imran and Fawad expressed reservations on ECP’s role, saying the credit went to the people who defeated the ruling alliance. “I want to first thank our PTI workers and voters of Punjab for defeating not just the PML-N candidates but the entire state machinery, especially harassment by police and a totally biased ECP,” Imran said.

In response, PML-N Saad Rafique said that the victory calmed down PTI leadership as, otherwise, they were levelling allegations of rigging throughout the day and even during the vote count.

Political analysts have seen the outcome of Punjab by-polls as a referendum on both the new government’s performance, especially of increasing oil prices, and on Imran’s narrative about his ouster.