ISLAMABAD, Dec 10: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chairman Imran Khan asked the government on Tuesday not to create hurdles in the way of verification of thumb impression of voters as ordered by election tribunals, otherwise his party would be left with no option but to come on roads.

Speaking at a press conference, Mr Khan said the PTI was watching patiently how the government had so far hampered the verification of thumb impression in constituencies where losing PTI candidates have challenged poll results.

He said if the practice of changing judges of election tribunals, removing chairman of the National Database and Registration Authority in the dead of night continued, the PTI would protest with a force that would be difficult for the government to control.

“I will talk to all like-minded parties and politicians, including Dr Tahirul Qadri, to move the masses against the government.”

A PTI leader confirmed to Dawn that his party was working on a plan to launch a movement in February or March if the government did not address its concerns about alleged rigging in the general election.

Mr Khan reiterated his demand for recounting of votes in NA 122, 125, 154 and 110 to ensure fair elections in future.

“If one goes by the assertions of Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan in the National Assembly that in the event of thumb impression-based counting, 60,000 to 70,000 votes in every constituency will be unverifiable, the entire election process becomes doubtful.”

Referring to Nadra’s probe in NA 256, Karachi-XVIII, Mr Khan said about 60 per cent of verified votes turned out to be bogus in the Karachi constituency. It suggested that there was a serious need to review the voting system, he added.

The PTI is pushing for recounting of votes in constituencies of NA speaker Ayaz Sadiq (NA 122-Lahore V), Water and Power and Defence Minister Khawaja Asif (NA 110-Sialkot I) and Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafiq (NA 125-Lahore VIII).

“If we are able to get election results of any of these constituencies reversed through verification of thumb impressions, it will make a huge dent in overall credibility of elections and put the PML-N on the back foot,” the PTI leader said.

He said his party had renewed its demand for recounting of votes because of the government’s jittery reaction to the decision of an election tribunal on NA 118, which led to the removal of Nadra chairman Tariq Malik.

Mr Malik has said on record that he was sacked because the government was not happy with him for going ahead with recounting of votes in NA 118.

Imran Khan said the PTI would accept the result of recounting. “Every time an election tribunal rules in favour of recounting, winning candidates get stay orders and now if the government manages to appoint the Nadra chief of its choice, who will accept his impartiality.”

He urged other provinces to follow the PTI-ruled Khyber Pakhtunkhwa by using the biometric system in the coming local government elections.