Protest mode: The honeymoon is over, Imran tells government
PTI to decide whether to demand early elections after verification of votes in four constituencies.
I will appear in SC for the hearing of voter verification, says Khan. PHOTO: SHABAZ MALIK/EXPRESS
LAHORE:
“I and other Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf parliamentarians will appear in the Supreme Court on Monday for a hearing regarding the verification of voters using thumb impressions in four constituencies,” PTI chairman Imran Khan said on Saturday.
He was addressing a press conference at his residence.
He said the PTI was demanding a thorough investigation of rigging of the elections.
An election tribunal had directed the Nadra to verify voters’ records using thumbprints. However lawmakers from the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz obtained stay orders against that ruling, he said.
“This is clear evidence of their malafide intent,” said Khan.
“If anyone from the KPK had asked for a recount the provincial government would have facilitated the process,” he said.
He said the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government would consult all political parties on legislation regarding local government elections.
Khan said local government elections supervised by district coordination officers, district police officers and tehsil municipal offices would be a fraud.
“We will file a petition in the Supreme Court against that plan,” he said.
He said the PTI would take a decision of whether to demand early elections after verification of votes in the four constituencies.
“If the ruling parties in [the Punjab and Sindh] do not want free and fair elections they should declare monarchy... they have already appointed their children to top positions,” he said.
The prime minister’s daughter, he said, was heading a government scheme with a budget of Rs100 billion.
“We have been quiet to give government an opportunity to fulfil the campaign promises,” Khan said. “The honeymoon period is over. We will revive the tsunami at a historic protest rally, against price hike and the government’s policies, on December 22.”
He said the PTI had invited the Jamaat-i-Islami, the Awami Muslim League and civil society activists to join its protest.
Khan also welcomed two new members, former PML-N MPA Dr Khalid Imtiaz Baloch and former town nazim Raja Kamaran from Fasialabad, to the party fold.
Replying to a question, Khan said Maulana Fazalur Rehman no longer bothered him. He said he had been grieved by the execution of Abdul Qadir Mulla in Bangladesh.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 15th, 2013.
“I and other Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf parliamentarians will appear in the Supreme Court on Monday for a hearing regarding the verification of voters using thumb impressions in four constituencies,” PTI chairman Imran Khan said on Saturday.
He was addressing a press conference at his residence.
He said the PTI was demanding a thorough investigation of rigging of the elections.
An election tribunal had directed the Nadra to verify voters’ records using thumbprints. However lawmakers from the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz obtained stay orders against that ruling, he said.
“This is clear evidence of their malafide intent,” said Khan.
“If anyone from the KPK had asked for a recount the provincial government would have facilitated the process,” he said.
He said the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government would consult all political parties on legislation regarding local government elections.
Khan said local government elections supervised by district coordination officers, district police officers and tehsil municipal offices would be a fraud.
“We will file a petition in the Supreme Court against that plan,” he said.
He said the PTI would take a decision of whether to demand early elections after verification of votes in the four constituencies.
“If the ruling parties in [the Punjab and Sindh] do not want free and fair elections they should declare monarchy... they have already appointed their children to top positions,” he said.
The prime minister’s daughter, he said, was heading a government scheme with a budget of Rs100 billion.
“We have been quiet to give government an opportunity to fulfil the campaign promises,” Khan said. “The honeymoon period is over. We will revive the tsunami at a historic protest rally, against price hike and the government’s policies, on December 22.”
He said the PTI had invited the Jamaat-i-Islami, the Awami Muslim League and civil society activists to join its protest.
Khan also welcomed two new members, former PML-N MPA Dr Khalid Imtiaz Baloch and former town nazim Raja Kamaran from Fasialabad, to the party fold.
Replying to a question, Khan said Maulana Fazalur Rehman no longer bothered him. He said he had been grieved by the execution of Abdul Qadir Mulla in Bangladesh.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 15th, 2013.