Election rigging: May 11 will mark start of a movement, says Imran
Says Article 6 should be invoked against ex-CJP and those who ‘stole democracy’.
File photo of PTI chief Imran Khan. PHOTO: QAZI USMAN
ISLAMABAD:
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has said that May 11 will mark the beginning of a movement against election rigging.
Talking exclusively to Express News, Imran said that his party has tried all legal methods for its rigging complaints and that now his party would take to the streets to register its protest.
“The PML-N government is frustrated – and in its frustration the party is seeking stay orders against the decision of election tribunals,” he said.
Imran that Article 6 of the Constitution should also be invoked against former chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and all those who ‘stole democracy’.
According to a private TV channel, the PTI chief said that his party’s protest would continue until the whole electoral system was purged of all lacunas and loopholes.
“We demanded verification of voters’ thumbprint in only four out of 65 constituencies – only to identify problems in the system,” he said, adding that his party waited for one year – but was denied justice.
Imran said that the then-chief justice, Iftikhar Chaudhry, also disappointed his party. “He [Iftikhar Chaudhry] wanted to hide rigging,” he added. “Those who steal democracy, in fact, steal the future of the nation. And Article 6 should be invoked against such people.
Imran said that the PTI was not calling for mid-term election. “We are not supporters of martial laws. We believe that martial law is not the answer for a bad democracy. We believe bad democracy should be rectified.
He said that rigging would continue unless the entire system was rectified. However, he warned that if the next elections were also rigged, then his party would not allow holding of elections in the country.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 5th, 2014.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has said that May 11 will mark the beginning of a movement against election rigging.
Talking exclusively to Express News, Imran said that his party has tried all legal methods for its rigging complaints and that now his party would take to the streets to register its protest.
“The PML-N government is frustrated – and in its frustration the party is seeking stay orders against the decision of election tribunals,” he said.
Imran that Article 6 of the Constitution should also be invoked against former chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and all those who ‘stole democracy’.
According to a private TV channel, the PTI chief said that his party’s protest would continue until the whole electoral system was purged of all lacunas and loopholes.
“We demanded verification of voters’ thumbprint in only four out of 65 constituencies – only to identify problems in the system,” he said, adding that his party waited for one year – but was denied justice.
Imran said that the then-chief justice, Iftikhar Chaudhry, also disappointed his party. “He [Iftikhar Chaudhry] wanted to hide rigging,” he added. “Those who steal democracy, in fact, steal the future of the nation. And Article 6 should be invoked against such people.
Imran said that the PTI was not calling for mid-term election. “We are not supporters of martial laws. We believe that martial law is not the answer for a bad democracy. We believe bad democracy should be rectified.
He said that rigging would continue unless the entire system was rectified. However, he warned that if the next elections were also rigged, then his party would not allow holding of elections in the country.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 5th, 2014.