Imran lashes out at PPP over Sindh LG polls

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf chief Imran Khan on Wednesday expressed his dismay with the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) claiming the local body elections were evidence that the party "has no commitment to fair and free elections".

The PPP has emerged as the major gainer in the second round of local bodies elections in Sindh, as it grabbed the most number of seats in Karachi and secured a thumping majority in the Hyderabad division.

The PTI chief however took the ruling party to task, saying that instead of holding transparent elections, "it uses force, blackmail, police harassment and money to get votes".

He went on to say that it was "now also clear" why the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and the coalition government had thrown their weight into blocking the PTI's push to introduce electronic voting machines (EVMs).

"EVMs allow for transparency and immediate results," said Imran arguing that they "prevent rigging" and "engineering of results".

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"Right now the results of LG elections which should have come out within a few hours at most were coming out with a staggering delay-- some for days, allowing for massive foul play," Imran added.

"If this is the sort of elections ECP, the State and the PDM want then the stability that elections are meant to bring will not happen," the former premier said.

He also expressed the fear that "instead such manipulated elections will only cause more agitation, polarisation and anarchy".

While the country continues to struggle with a crippling economic crisis and inflation, Imran has repeatedly pushed the stance that free and fair elections are the only solution to the ongoing political instability and economic chaos in the country.