Protests being held to get justice, not to come into power: Imran
Imran says electoral reforms won’t do country any good until those who rigged 2013 polls are punished
ISLAMABAD:
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan on Friday rubbished rumours that his stage-ins were being held to bring martial law into the country.
"My lifelong struggle cannot be reduced to bringing martial law in the country. My struggle is only to bring true democracy in the country," said Imran.
Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, he said his party had been protesting in the federal capital for the past 106 days to hold those responsible for rigging elections, not to replace Nawaz Sharif as the prime minister of Pakistan.
Imran said electoral reforms won’t do any good until those who rigged the 2013 polls are brought to the book.
“... If we want to move ahead and correct the country’s electoral process, we will have to hold those who rigged the polls, accountable,” he said.
The PTI chief said the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) got 6.8 million votes in the 2008 elections when the All Parties Democratic Alliance did not take part in the polls, but this number doubled in 2013, taking the vote count to 15 million.
“This was because the polls were rigged on a large scale,” he said.
Imran said if justice isn't served in this regard, the next elections won’t be a popularity contest between parties but a competition of who is better at rigging.
The PTI chief went on to point out that numerous target killings had taken place in Karachi but no one had been arrested for the crime.
“15,000 people have been target killed in Karachi. There are strong anti-terror laws but still the killing spree continues as target killers haven’t been arrested,” said Imran.
The PTI chairman argued that he came out on the streets as no institution was willing to provide justice, adding that he will reply to Pervaiz Rashid’s allegations during tonight’s sit-in address at D-Chowk.
He added that the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) rigged the 2013 polls in Sindh just like the PML-N did in Punjab, pointing out how PPP bagged more votes after “destroying Sindh in five years" than it did after the assassination of Benazir Bhutto.
Extra ballot papers printed
The PTI chairman alleged that over 5 million extra ballot papers were printed from three printing presses in Pakistan, whereas data from two others was not available yet.
“These [extra] votes were added to their candidates’ vote count,” said Imran, adding that 124,000 extra ballot papers were printed in PML-N leader Saad Rafique's constituency.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan on Friday rubbished rumours that his stage-ins were being held to bring martial law into the country.
"My lifelong struggle cannot be reduced to bringing martial law in the country. My struggle is only to bring true democracy in the country," said Imran.
Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, he said his party had been protesting in the federal capital for the past 106 days to hold those responsible for rigging elections, not to replace Nawaz Sharif as the prime minister of Pakistan.
Imran said electoral reforms won’t do any good until those who rigged the 2013 polls are brought to the book.
“... If we want to move ahead and correct the country’s electoral process, we will have to hold those who rigged the polls, accountable,” he said.
The PTI chief said the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) got 6.8 million votes in the 2008 elections when the All Parties Democratic Alliance did not take part in the polls, but this number doubled in 2013, taking the vote count to 15 million.
“This was because the polls were rigged on a large scale,” he said.
Imran said if justice isn't served in this regard, the next elections won’t be a popularity contest between parties but a competition of who is better at rigging.
The PTI chief went on to point out that numerous target killings had taken place in Karachi but no one had been arrested for the crime.
“15,000 people have been target killed in Karachi. There are strong anti-terror laws but still the killing spree continues as target killers haven’t been arrested,” said Imran.
The PTI chairman argued that he came out on the streets as no institution was willing to provide justice, adding that he will reply to Pervaiz Rashid’s allegations during tonight’s sit-in address at D-Chowk.
He added that the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) rigged the 2013 polls in Sindh just like the PML-N did in Punjab, pointing out how PPP bagged more votes after “destroying Sindh in five years" than it did after the assassination of Benazir Bhutto.
Extra ballot papers printed
The PTI chairman alleged that over 5 million extra ballot papers were printed from three printing presses in Pakistan, whereas data from two others was not available yet.
“These [extra] votes were added to their candidates’ vote count,” said Imran, adding that 124,000 extra ballot papers were printed in PML-N leader Saad Rafique's constituency.