PTI dead set on ‘May 9 agenda’: Marriyum

LAHORE:

PML-N Central Secretary Information Marriyum Aurangzeb on Friday slammed PTI for undermining the credibility of the 2024 general elections through an organised narrative based on lies and peddling "forged Form 45”.

Terming it nothing more than a smoke-and-mirrors show, the PML-N leader said it appeared that the PTI had dusted off its playbook from May 9 with the aim of throwing Pakistan into chaos beyond repair.

She said that former premier Imran Khan’s invitation to the US to interfere in the country's elections goes against Pakistan's sovereignty. Taking a swing at the former premier, the PML-N leader questioned the irony of his invitation to the US to “meddle” in Pakistan's elections. "Where did the 'Absolutely Not. We are not slaves' slogan go when he's practically asking for foreign interference?" she asked.

She emphasised the need to respect Pakistan's sovereignty and urged those with election grievances to take their complaints to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). Aurangzeb also took aim at the media's role in spreading what she dubbed as "propaganda" about inconclusive results, adding that the laws of the land should prevail.

According to Aurangzeb, candidates started serving up fake and forged Form 45 to the media, even before the official compilation process had begun. She alleged that these forms were not in the hands of polling agents or candidates at that point. As a result, the news media broadcasted partial and unofficial results, creating a false impression of a PTI-backed landslide victory.

Recounting the PML-N's swift response, Aurangzeb stated that they contacted their candidates and election staff to confirm the authenticity of the results. According to her, PTI's Form 45 was either unstamped, unsigned, or outright counterfeit. Therefore, she alleged, that when the PTI went to the election commission with its grievances, it brought screenshots of news channels instead of the supposed Form 45.

According to her, the PTI has a knack for firing up a media propaganda machine instead of taking their tall tales to the proper legal channels, adding that this tactic was a smokescreen.

She further said that the PTI’s rigging claims hold no water and they lack any evidence to support its baseless accusations. This playbook, she pointed out, was also played out in 2014 after the elections and during the PML-N's time in power “when fake documents were waved in press conferences but were dishonourably dismissed in the court of law”.

Read EU urges Pakistan to ensure full investigation of reported election irregularities

“Why the PTI was presenting their fake proof in front of international media when there are appropriate legal forums? They should have gone to the election commission, to the election tribunals and the courts if they would not be satisfied.”

“Virtually all international pre-poll surveys showed the PMLN as the front runner in the 2024 elections, so they know very well where the majority vote of the people was cast,” she added.

Marriyum highlighted the apparent hypocrisy of the PTI, noting their double standards. She said that the PTI seemed to conveniently label elections in constituencies it won as transparent, but cry foul of rigging whenever it faced defeat.

She questioned why the elections in K-P were considered untainted if rigging was allegedly rampant in this particular election. According to her, the genuine Form 45 are the ones officially posted on the ECP’s website.

‘Digital terrorism’

Speaking at the press conference, Ataullah Tarar expressed concern about the numerous counterfeit Form 45 documents on social media, equating it to nothing short of 'digital terrorism' threatening the nation's stability.

Tarar presented the purported forged Form 45s to the press, revealing how the PTI allegedly manipulated them. He also highlighted cases where the PTI purportedly created two Form 45s for the same polling station.

Tarar emphasised the necessity for Pakistan to move towards democratic consolidation, discouraging the promotion of chaos and anarchy through allegations of rigging.

“Why weren’t there any rigging allegations in K-P, just because they won there?” he questioned. "Would Rana Sanaullah, Khurram Dastgir, and Javed Latif have faced defeat in the elections if there was actually rigging? If rigging was the game, wouldn't they have emerged victorious through such means?” he further asked.

He said it was not possible that media houses had correspondents at every polling station. Therefore, the media houses relied on candidates for this information which the PTI exploited and shared fake information to create a false narrative. He said that he was also asked by media houses but he did not share any info until he did not have Form 45s authenticated by the election commission.

The PML-N deputy general secretary said that the PTI did not object when the presiding officers submitted Form 45s to the ROs because they knew that they had uploaded fake forms on social media and they had no grounds to object. He also showed proof of conflicting results aired by the media.

Marriyum and Tarar warned against dragging the country into instability through such tactics just for political gains and said that the PTI should take these matters to the relevant forums instead of casting doubt over the electoral process.