Amid revelations: PTI demands fresh elections in Karachi

Calls upon SC to take suo motu notice and invalidate the May 2013 polls.

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Friday opened a new front in its protracted battle for transparency in the May 11 general election, calling upon the poll supervisory body to hold a fresh vote in all National Assembly and Sindh Assembly seats of the metropolis.

According to the PTI central secretariat in Islamabad, the party’s president in Sindh Ali Zaidi reminded the people of Karachi that on the afternoon of the election day the then Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) secretary Ishtiaq Ahmad Khan admitted on television that “the ECP failed in its responsibility to provide a free and fair election process in Karachi”.

While talking about the Rangers operation in Karachi, the PTI leader pointed out that the culprits who have been apprehended so far, such as Umair Siddiqui, have confessed that they had cast ‘fake’ votes in favour of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) candidates.

Article 218(3) of the Constitution states: “It shall be the duty of the election commission to organise and conduct the election and to make such arrangements as are necessary to ensure that the election is conducted honestly, justly, fairly and in accordance with law, and that corrupt practices are guarded against.”

He questioned: “Can anyone with a conscience and sane mind honestly say that the process in Karachi met this constitutional standard?”

While making a demand, the PTI Karachi president said, “We demand that the Supreme Court of Pakistan take suo motu notice and declare the elections of May 11, 2013 in Karachi null and void and direct the ECP to de-seat all elected MNAs and MPAs of Karachi and conduct fresh elections under the supervision of the Pakistan Rangers.”

The true mandate of the people of Karachi should be reflected through the ballot box in a free and fair process, he said. In a genuine democracy, he said, organising free and fair elections is more imperative than the result itself.

Zaidi reaffirmed his full support in the ongoing Karachi operation, saying all criminals need to be caught irrespective of party or organisational affiliation as no person was above the law.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 21^st, 2015.