PTI demands ‘immediate release’ of Imran Khan

ISLAMABAD:

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) while equating the recently-held general elections to a “mega polls robbery” on Thursday demanded that the government should be handed over to it, regretting that the opportunity to bring political stability was once again lost due to the alleged meandering and manipulation of election results.

In the meanwhile, the former ruling party demanded a probe into the alleged “election fraud” and “mother of all riggings” through a judicial commission, and sought the resignation of the chief election commissioner for holding one of the “most controversial elections in Pakistan’s history.”

In addition, the party declared May 9 events a “false flag operation”, and termed the arrest of PTI founding chairman Imran Khan in a corruption case last year by the paramilitary Rangers from the Islamabad High Court “abduction”, saying the force was “commanded by uniformed army officers, it was hence presumed to be [an] act of military establishment”.

Moreover, the PTI demanded the immediate release of Imran Khan, demanding all politically motivated cases against him, other PTI leaders and supporters be withdrawn.

The party’s claims and demands have surfaced in PTI’s White Paper, which was released on Thursday.
The “PTI White Paper on Rigging in General Election 2024” detailed alleged rigging from the pre-poll phase to the culmination in the government Official Gazette Notification and, as claimed by PTI, exposing the corrupt practices, including “alteration of final results through fudging, forgery and manipulation of Form-47”.

The document underscored the inclusion of reports from international and national watchdogs, NGOs, and human rights organizations to validate the situation in Pakistan. This encompasses the “atrocities” inflicted on PTI workers and leaders before, during, and after the polls, including the alleged “manipulation of election results in accordance with a pre-planned rigging strategy”.

Highlighting that the electoral process was marred by serious flaws and compromises, the party had given details of the number of petitions, challenging polls results, it has filed before the election tribunals.

The summary stated that PTI candidates who have approached the tribunals include 72 candidates of National Assembly constituencies, 43 of Punjab, 24 of Sindh, 14 of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, and four of Balochistan Assembly constituencies.

The former ruling party asserted that they possess prosecutable evidence, supported by Form-45, pertaining to the number of constituencies, adding that tribunals, mandated by law to dispense decisions within the stipulated 180-day period, will be instrumental. The National Assembly's position would shift to 94+72=166 seats, surpassing a simple majority of 133 but falling short by 11 of the two-thirds majority threshold.

“The rigging with impunity by changing the Form-45 or in certain cases Form-47 by the RO at the stage of compilation was committed,” the report reads.

Surprisingly, the PTI document revealed that there were eight constituencies where PTI won provincial seats but failed to secure National Assembly seats and six seats where it secured lower house seats but lost provincial seats.

The party contended that this indicates an unusual set of results that support its claims of rigging, as voters generally do not exhibit an opposite mindset, wherein votes for one party in the provincial assembly contradict those in the National Assembly.

Pre-poll rigging

On pre-poll rigging, the report stated that the constitutional limit of holding elections in Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa within a 90-day period was overstepped, partial, biased and well-planted.
It said federal and provincial caretaker setups were installed to favour PDM and the tenure of the caretaker setups was “illegally” extended.
The report claimed that assassination attempts were made in line with the so-called “London Plan”, a false-flag operation of May 9 was conducted, electoral rolls and polling schemes were rigged and that “NADRA was involved in pre-poll rigging by allotting polling stations to newly registered voters at far away locations”.

It stated that the alleged snatching of nomination papers, targeting of PTI women, blockage of the internet during virtual gatherings, “illegal” arrests and forced statements by PTI leaders via press conferences, appointment of bureaucrats as ROs, denial of election campaigning, and taking away the symbol of “Bat” from the party were all done to subdue the party and prepare grounds for reinstating PDM-2.

The report highlighted that the “ECP dishonestly held back the decision on PTI intra-party election for one-and-a-half year”, adding that the top PTI leadership was excluded from general election by hurriedly concluding trials and handing down punishment in different cases, including Iddat, ToshaKhana and Cipher.

It quipped that in the last fourteen hundred years of Islamic history, a man was first time punished in performance of Sunnah of “nikah”.

 

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) while equating the recently-held general elections to a “mega polls robbery” on Thursday demanded that the government should be handed over to it, regretting that the opportunity to bring political stability was once again lost due to the alleged meandering and manipulation of election results.
In the meanwhile, the former ruling party demanded probe into the alleged “election fraud” and “mother of all riggings” through a judicial commission, and sought resignation of the chief election commissioner for holding one of the “most controversial elections in Pakistan’s history.”

In addition, the party declared May 9 events a “false flag operation”, and termed the arrest of PTI founding chairman Imran Khan in a corruption case last year by the paramilitary Rangers from the Islamabad High Court “abduction”, saying the force was “commanded by uniformed army officers, it was hence presumed to be [an] act of military establishment”.

Moreover, the PTI demanded immediate release of Imran Khan, demanding all politically motivated cases against him, other PTI leaders and supporters be withdrawn.

The party’s claims and demands have surfaced in PTI’s White Paper, which was released on Thursday.
The “PTI White Paper on Rigging in General Election 2024” detailed alleged rigging from the pre-poll phase to the culmination in the government Official Gazette Notification and, as claimed by PTI, exposing the corrupt practices, including “alteration of final results through fudging, forgery and manipulation of Form-47”.

The document underscored the inclusion of reports from international and national watchdogs, NGOs, and human rights organizations to validate the situation in Pakistan. This encompasses the “atrocities” inflicted on PTI workers and leaders before, during, and after the polls, including the alleged “manipulation of election results in accordance with a pre-planned rigging strategy”.
Highlighting that the electoral process was marred by serious flaws and compromises, the party had given details of the number of petitions, challenging poll results, it has filed before the election tribunals.

The summary stated that PTI candidates who have approached the tribunals include 72 candidates from National Assembly constituencies, 43 from Punjab, 24 from Sindh, 14 from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, and four of Balochistan Assembly constituencies.

The former ruling party asserted that they possess prosecutable evidence, supported by Form-45, pertaining to the number of constituencies, adding that tribunals, mandated by law to dispense decisions within the stipulated 180-day period, will be instrumental. The National Assembly's position would shift to 94+72=166 seats, surpassing a simple majority of 133 but falling short by 11 of the two-thirds majority threshold.

“The rigging with impunity by changing the Form-45 or in certain cases Form-47 by the RO at the stage of compilation was committed,” the report reads.

Surprisingly, the PTI document revealed that there were eight constituencies where PTI won provincial seats but failed to secure National Assembly seats and six seats where it secured lower house seats but lost provincial seats.

The party contended that this indicates an unusual set of results that support its claims of rigging, as voters generally do not exhibit an opposite mindset, wherein votes for one party in the provincial assembly contradict those in the National Assembly. Pre-poll rigging

On pre-poll rigging, the report stated that the constitutional limit of holding elections in Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa within a 90-day period was overstepped, partial, biased and well-planted.
It said federal and provincial caretaker setups were installed to favour PDM and the tenure of the caretaker setups was “illegally” extended.

The report claimed that assassination attempts were made in line with the so-called “London Plan”, a false-flag operation of May 9 was conducted, electoral rolls and polling schemes were rigged and that “NADRA was involved in pre-poll rigging by allotting polling stations to newly registered voters at far away locations”.

It stated that the alleged snatching of nomination papers, targeting of PTI women, blockage of the internet during virtual gatherings, “illegal” arrests and forced statements by PTI leaders via press conferences, appointment of bureaucrats as ROs, denial of election campaigning, and taking away the symbol of “Bat” from the party were all done to subdue the party and prepare grounds for reinstating PDM-2.
The report highlighted that the “ECP dishonestly held back the decision on PTI intra-party election for one-and-a-half year”, adding that the top PTI leadership was excluded from general election by hurriedly concluding trials and handing down punishment in different cases, including Iddat, ToshaKhana and Cipher.

It quipped that in the last fourteen hundred years of Islamic history, a man was first time punished in performance of Sunnah of “nikah”.Election day and post polls situation
Next, the party has listed down the steps taken to allegedly rig and manipulate poll results. These included country-wide shutdown of communication just before polling, denial of entry to PTI polling agents, refusal of issuance of form-45 and comparative media reports on discrepancies in Form-45 and 47.

It also referred to the confessional statement of former Rawalpindi commissioner Liaquat Ali Chattha on Feb 17 and rejection of reserved seats and its distribution to other parties.
The PTI stated that testimonials from contesters of other parties in favour of PTI were also provided but were ultimately disregarded. It then referred to the reporting done by international media and the reports of international and national watchdogs.

“FAFEN reported that its observers were not allowed in 135 constituencies out of a total 260 by the ROs,” the white paper stated.

Referring to the PILDAT report, it said, delay in announcement of results cast shadow over the election process; widespread allegations of discrepancies in Form-45 and 47 surfaced and failure to publish Form 45, 46, 47, 48 and 49 on ECP website within 14 days questioned integrity of election results.PTI’s Demands

In conclusion, the PTI said the mandate of the public at large and the people of Pakistan had been subjected to “blatant robbery in broad daylight”, putting them in a state of “dismay and helplessness” against the hope of bringing change through the strength of the ballot.

Next, the former ruling party outlined its demands, referring to them as a pathway towards true democracy.

The demands stated that all institutions should assist in ending the “impasse” created by the general election by reverting to the “actual and true mandate of public” as reflected in PTI’s vote count based on Form-45.

It said that the Supreme Court should exercise the vital power vested in it by the Constitute under Article 184 (3) to guard the Constitution by exposing the “systematic and countrywide electoral fraud”.
It demanded the formation of an independent judicial commission to investigate the entire process of “election fraud” and those involved in the heinous crimes of social injustice, corruption, and corrupt practices that undermine the public mandate. Particularly, if the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) is found guilty, it should be charged under the dictates of the law, the party said.

The former ruling party stressed that the commission should have access to the reports prepared by independent observers including the EU Mission, PATTAN, PILDAT, FAFEN, Common Wealth Observers Group, US Institute of Peace and others while having power to summon any person for recording the statements.

It maintained that the judicial commission may also be tasked with recommending appropriate electoral reforms to bring transparency, fair play, and merit to the election system, noting that the initiative would help minimize opportunities for manipulation, as demonstrated in developed democratic countries.

“Imran Khan should be released immediately,” the white paper stated, adding that those responsible for “instigating these baseless cases” against the PTI founder and party leaders, workers and supporters should be held accountable for “undermining” the integrity of justice.

Lastly, it urged, the democracy loving people of Pakistan to call upon the international community to support them in their struggle for democratic processes, which have been “marred and abused” since over five decades.

The party said the request was based on equality of rights for all in accordance with the Constitution of Pakistan, regardless of ethnicity, religion or gender.

Next, the party has listed down the steps taken to allegedly rig and manipulate poll results. These included country-wide shutdown of communication just before polling, denial of entry to PTI polling agents, refusal of issuance of form-45 and comparative media reports on discrepancies in Form-45 and 47.

It also referred to the confessional statement of former Rawalpindi commissioner Liaquat Ali Chattha on Feb 17 and rejection of reserved seats and its distribution to other parties.

The PTI stated that testimonials from contesters of other parties in favour of PTI were also provided but were ultimately disregarded. It then referred to the reporting done by international media and the reports of international and national watchdogs.

“FAFEN reported that its observers were not allowed in 135 constituencies out of a total 260 by the ROs,” the white paper stated.

Referring to the PILDAT report, it said, delay in announcement of results cast shadow over the election process; widespread allegations of discrepancies in Form-45 and 47 surfaced and failure to publish Form 45, 46, 47, 48 and 49 on ECP website within 14 days questioned integrity of election results.

PTI’s Demands

In conclusion, the PTI said the mandate of the public at large and the people of Pakistan had been subjected to “blatant robbery in broad daylight”, putting them in a state of “dismay and helplessness” against the hope of bringing change through the strength of the ballot.
Next, the former ruling party outlined its demands, referring to them as a pathway towards true democracy.

The demands stated that all institutions should assist in ending the “impasse” created by the general election by reverting to the “actual and true mandate of public” as reflected in PTI’s vote count based on Form-45.

It said that the Supreme Court should exercise the vital power vested in it by the Constitute under Article 184 (3) to guard the Constitution by exposing the “systematic and countrywide electoral fraud”.
It demanded the formation of an independent judicial commission to investigate the entire process of “election fraud” and those involved in the heinous crimes of social injustice, corruption, and corrupt practices that undermine the public mandate. Particularly, if the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) is found guilty, it should be charged under the dictates of the law, the party said.

The former ruling party stressed that the commission should have access to the reports prepared by independent observers including the EU Mission, PATTAN, PILDAT, FAFEN, Common Wealth Observers Group, US Institute of Peace and others while having power to summon any person for recording the statements.

It maintained that the judicial commission may also be tasked with recommending appropriate electoral reforms to bring transparency, fair play, and merit to the election system, noting that the initiative would help minimize opportunities for manipulation, as demonstrated in developed democratic countries.

“Imran Khan should be released immediately,” the white paper stated, adding that those responsible for “instigating these baseless cases” against the PTI founder and party leaders, workers and supporters should be held accountable for “undermining” the integrity of justice.

Lastly, it urged, the democracy loving people of Pakistan to call upon the international community to support them in their struggle for democratic processes, which have been “marred and abused” since over five decades.

The party said the request was based on equality of rights for all in accordance with the Constitution of Pakistan, regardless of ethnicity, religion or gender.