'The elections are going to be partial'
Despite doubts over impartiality, Mian Iftikhar Hussain reiterates ANP will not boycott the elections.
Hussain terms the attacks on liberal political parties as a form of pre-election rigging and an indication that the elections would not be impartial. PHOTO: NNI/FILE
PESHAWAR:
The Awami National Party (ANP), forced to campaign in secret after repeatedly being targeted through gun and bomb attacks, burst at the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) raising question on its impartiality.
“The elections are going to be partial and its impartiality is a question mark,” said ANP central leader Mian Iftikhar Hussain in Peshawar on Saturday.
Addressing a condolence reference at Bacha Khan Markaz over the targeted killing of their National Assembly hopeful Sadiq Zaman Khattak in Karachi on Friday, Hussain said that by not providing security to ANP candidates, the caretaker government and the ECP has sided with the militants.
“Impartiality, what kind of ECP is this? An ANP worker cannot go to his constituency and those of rival parties are able to hold as many as six political meetings in a day?”
The ANP leader termed the attacks on liberal political parties as a form of pre-election rigging and an indication that the elections would not be impartial rather they would be partial.
Hussain, who is contesting from PK-12 Nowshera has himself been limited Skype based video address to his constituency members.
“We (ANP) have been tied for any play (electioneering) and others are allowed to openly campaign.”
Despite his allegations of the elections being less than impartial, Hussain quickly dispelled any notion of the ANP boycotting the upcoming elections.
“We are not going to boycott elections rather we are all ready to fight it out.”
HUssain also came down hard on the caretaker government claiming that the interims had continually neglected security for election candidates and ANP party workers were yet to be provided with state security.
“What would one do with that security provision when there will be no candidate alive to avail it.”
The ANP leader also refuted the ECP’s statement that their party workers had been provided with security.
The Awami National Party (ANP), forced to campaign in secret after repeatedly being targeted through gun and bomb attacks, burst at the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) raising question on its impartiality.
“The elections are going to be partial and its impartiality is a question mark,” said ANP central leader Mian Iftikhar Hussain in Peshawar on Saturday.
Addressing a condolence reference at Bacha Khan Markaz over the targeted killing of their National Assembly hopeful Sadiq Zaman Khattak in Karachi on Friday, Hussain said that by not providing security to ANP candidates, the caretaker government and the ECP has sided with the militants.
“Impartiality, what kind of ECP is this? An ANP worker cannot go to his constituency and those of rival parties are able to hold as many as six political meetings in a day?”
The ANP leader termed the attacks on liberal political parties as a form of pre-election rigging and an indication that the elections would not be impartial rather they would be partial.
Hussain, who is contesting from PK-12 Nowshera has himself been limited Skype based video address to his constituency members.
“We (ANP) have been tied for any play (electioneering) and others are allowed to openly campaign.”
Despite his allegations of the elections being less than impartial, Hussain quickly dispelled any notion of the ANP boycotting the upcoming elections.
“We are not going to boycott elections rather we are all ready to fight it out.”
HUssain also came down hard on the caretaker government claiming that the interims had continually neglected security for election candidates and ANP party workers were yet to be provided with state security.
“What would one do with that security provision when there will be no candidate alive to avail it.”
The ANP leader also refuted the ECP’s statement that their party workers had been provided with security.