LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Punjab organiser Chaudhry Sarwar has said free, fair and transparent by-polls in Punjab are out of question without direct supervision of the electoral exercise by the Pakistan Army and Rangers.

Addressing an Eid related event and different public meetings in Waris Road, Mozang and Garhi Shahu areas on Sunday, Mr Sarwar alleged the government, Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and police had joined hands against the PTI and in such a situation, it would be difficult for any party to accept the by-poll results.

He said it was ECP’s responsibility to hold fair elections and it must discharge its duty in a responsible manner.

He said those, who looted national exchequer would soon be eliminated. He claimed the PTI would soon be in the saddle to run the country’s affairs.

Mr Sarwar said the PTI leadership was in direct contact with its workers and the masses to strengthen the party.

He said Imran Khan had created political awareness among the masses and now everybody was with the PTI to help Pakistan get rid of corruption and other problems.

The former Punjab governor said that apprehending its defeat in the by-polls in Lahore and Lodhran the PML-N was now planning to rig the election instead of accepting “people’s verdict.”

PTI had repeatedly asked the ECP to take notice of the PML-N’s “pre-poll rigging,” he added.

PTI Punjab deputy organiser Umer Sarfraz Cheema and MPA Mian Aslam Iqbal said the PML-N would have to shun rigging because people would decide that who should rule them. Otherwise, they warned, the PTI would forcibly check such malpractices.

PTI Punjab women wing president Saloni Bukhari, and by-poll candidates Abdul Aleem Khan and Shoaib Siddiqui were also present.

Published in Dawn, September 28th , 2015

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