Electoral malpracticeL: CJP urged to take notice of ministers’ threats

Aleem Khan says party’s stance on electoral malpractice vindicated

LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) provincial organiser Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar on Thursday called on the chief justice of Pakistan to take notice of ministers hurling threats at election tribunal judges.

Sarwar, the former governor, made the remarks at a seminar on the role of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on strengthening democracy at the Lahore High Court Bar Association (LHCBA). He exhorted all political parties to make common cause with the PTI to ensure a free and fair electoral process. The former governor said the party wanted to bring about change through constitutional means. He said other political forces including the Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) had endorsed the PTI’s demand regarding the resignation of ECP officials.

The former governor said the people had lost faith in the government and the ECP. He said it was impossible to hold transparent elections in the presence of the four provincial election commissioners.

Sarwar said they should be immediately relieved of their responsibilities.

He said PTI chairman Imran Khan had been calling for an audit of four constituencies right after the conclusion of the 2013 general elections but the government had resorted to various delaying tactics on this account.

Political adviser to Imran Khan Abdul Aleem Khan said the party’s stance with regard to electoral malpractice had been vindicated in the wake of the verdicts. He said three out of four decisions had come out in the favour of the PTI. Khan called on the government to apologise to the nation for failing to ensure transparent conduct of general elections in 2013.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 28^th, 2015.