Campaign against rigging: Multiple political parties ready to join the protest

Jamaat-e-Islami, APML join movement led by Imran Khan, Tahirul Qadri.


Peer Muhammad/anwer Sumra May 04, 2014
JI Ameer Sirajul Haq accepted Imran Khan’s invitation to take part in the protest movement but only the second-tier leadership of the party will participate in the protest in Islamabad. PHOTO: ZAHURUL HAQ/EXPRESS/FILE

ISLAMABAD/ LAHORE:


As the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz prepares to mark one full year since its installation last year, it is attracting a whirlpool of currents following serious differences with the army. Its predicament is compounded by a protest movement that is slowly gaining support from multiple parties.


On Saturday, Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) and All Pakistan Muslim League (APML) announced their support for the protest campaign – scheduled to commence on May 11 – against rampant corruption and alleged riggings in last year’s general elections.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan and the Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) chief Tahirul Qadri have announced to launch a massive protest movement against the rigging and corruption.



JI Ameer Sirajul Haq accepted Imran Khan’s invitation to take part in the protest movement but only the second-tier leadership of the party will participate in the protest in Islamabad, said JI’s central information secretary Ameerul Azeem. “JI will send its office bearers, particularly from Sindh, as it feels massive rigging was done in that province.” The invitation was accepted over the telephone, Azeem said.

The naib ameer from Islamabad, as well as the Karachi and Hyderabad leaders would participate along with the party’s delegations, he added.  “We had the same apprehensions as the PTI regarding the general elections, therefore, we condemn the rigging in which the masses were deprived of their mandate,” the JI leader reiterated.

JI deputy information secretary Anwer Niazi said JI Ameer Haq was in Oslo and would return on May 6 but he would not be joining the protest as a public gathering and reception for the newly elected party head had already been scheduled for May 11.

Separately, APML senior leader Ahmad Raza Kasuri also announced on Saturday that his party will join the PAT and PTI protest campaign.

Addressing a press conference, Kasuri said, “This protest is against the rampant corruption and rigging in the last year elections, in which APML chief Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf was not only disqualified from contesting the election from four constituencies, but was also barred from contesting any election in his lifetime.”



Alleging that the former chief justice, Iftikhar Chaudhry, and the media were responsible for poll rigging, Kasuri asked the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to declare the polls “null and void” and hold a fresh election.

“In what capacity did the former CJ Chaudhry address returning officers and advised them?” he questioned.

He said the person, who was accused of scratching 35 ‘punctures’, was made chairman of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), which was his reward for helping in the manipulation of election results.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) will organise rallies in more than 12 districts of Punjab today (Sunday) to show solidarity with the Pakistan Army.


Published in The Express Tribune, May 4th, 2014.

COMMENTS (62)

Abid | 9 years ago | Reply

PTI should wait till 2018. Their next defeat is due in 2018.

Waseem | 9 years ago | Reply

@ishrat salim: very well explained

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