No objection over new CEC: Imran Khan

PTI chief says govt had agreed to inclusion of ISI, MI in commission before backing out; three PPP leaders join PTI

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan said on Sunday that he did not have any objections against the newly appointed chief election commissioner.

Justice (retd) Sardar Raza was appointed the new election chief yesterday, after months of delay by the government.

The PTI chief, while addressing the media at his residence in Bani Gala, credited Raza with having a good reputation; however, he added that the provincial representatives under him should be replaced .

“They have no justification to stay in office when they failed to hold free and fair elections,” he added.

Govt not serious about talks: PTI

During the press conference, Imran also accused the government of not making any serious efforts to resume talks over the party's longstanding demand for the constitution of a judicial commission and joint investigation team to probe alleged rigging in the 2013 general elections.

The statement came hours before the party is set to start executing its much talked-about ‘Plan C’ through a shutter-down strike in Faisalabad, while making a commitment to remain peaceful.

“I apologise to the citizens of Faisalabad. We did not want to create problems for them,” the PTI chief said.

“If traders of Faisalabad think our demands are legitimate; they should join us, otherwise can continue with their business. Peaceful protest is our right,” he added.

Talking about the 15 meetings already held with the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), the PTI chairman said the government had agreed to form a judicial commission and joint investigation team, comprising members from the ISI, Military Intelligence and Intelligence Bureau.

“We have documentary proof in this regard but they backed out when pressure was reduced,” he added.

Imran argued that the PTI had withdrawn its core demand of the prime minister's resignation but the government was not serious about the constitution of a judicial commission.

“The government can announce a judicial commission in 48 hours,” but it is not willing to as it did not pursue the matter after writing a letter to the chief justice on August 13, he added.

Meanwhile, PTI vice chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi said everything was settled during the negotiations, except an understating on the terms of reference of the commission.

“One minister hints on talks while the other threatens,” Qureshi said, adding that talks would resume when Dar would reach out to him  and set a date and time for a meeting.

Responding to the government’s claim that the PTI's Islamabad sit-in was causing losses to the country's economy, Imran argued that the protests had, in fact, lead to a fall in corruption and petroleum prices in the country.

“Electricity is produced from furnace oil. While oil prices have been reduced the government has increased the electricity tariff,” he said. “This is leading to power theft…”

On the contrary, the head of the government’s negotiating team, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, told the media that the PTI had not considered its proposal to “postpone” the Faisalabad ‘show’.

“We will see what they do tomorrow and then take a decision,” he said.

Three seasoned politicians join PTI

Earlier, the PTI chairman welcomed Sardar Saifuddin Khosa, son of PML-N’s disgruntled leader Senator Sardar Zulfikar Khosa, Niaz Khan Jakhar former MNA from the PPP, and former minister for defence production Sardar Bahadar Khan Sehar into his party.

No evidence of rigging

Responding to media reports that he did not provide any evidence to the election tribunal during the hearing of the alleged rigging case in NA-122, Imran said he could not collect evidence as he was bedridden at the time.

“The evidence is inside polling bags,” he said. “I was in the hospital; how could I collect evidence, should I have sent spies to do that.”