ISLAMABAD: It was the sixth consecutive Friday the Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf (PTI) held its weekly anti-election rigging rally which the party has been organising following its May 11 call for sweeping election reforms in the country.

It was a repeat of the earlier shows. Scores of PTI workers marched from the party’s central secretariat at G-6/4 towards the Red Zone and after passing by the offices of the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) stopped near Radio Pakistan office.

PTI vice-chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi, additional general secretary Saifullah Khan Niazi along with others led the demonstration.

The PTI leadership present on the occasion reiterated the party’s demands for the recounting of votes in four constituencies, and the introduction of electoral reforms, including complete reformation of the Election Commission of Pakistan.

In his speech, Mr Qureshi hailed the party workers for their steadfastness which forced the government to constitute a bicameral multiparty parliamentary committee for the electoral reforms.

“The constitution of the committee is the result of your (workers) continuous struggle to have a fully independent and autonomous election commission.” The PTI will continue with its movement until its demands for electoral reforms are met in letter and spirit. The PTI wants ECP on the lines of the Indian election commission where executive has whatsoever no interference in conducting the elections.

Mr Qureshi also informed the protesters that party chief Imran Khan would make important announcements on June 27 at a rally in Bahawalpur about the party’s future course of action.

In a press conference this week, Mr Khan had said if the government continued resisting the demand for the recounting of votes in the four constituencies, his party would be forced to use other options.

Talking to Dawn, a PTI office-bearer said the core committee of the party would meet on Sunday to brainstorm its next move on the electoral reforms after the government announced to constitute a parliamentary party. The committee for which the speaker National Assembly has sought names from the parliamentary parties will be given three months to make recommendations.

When asked if the party was interested in mid-term elections, the party official said: “At the moment the focus of the PTI leadership is on having credible electoral reforms because with the present ECP the results will be the same.”

Therefore, he added, it was a wrong perception that the party wanted mid-term elections. “But, yes, the PTI will not accept anything on its demand for investigations into the thump impression based recounting of votes in the four constituencies,” added the official.

Addressing the rally, PTI additional secretary general Mr Niazi hit out at the Punjab government for its alleged involvement in the killing of Pakistan Awami Tehrik workers.

PTI members of the National Assembly Asad Umar, Nafeesa Khattak, Ali Mohammad Khan and Munaza Hassan were also present.

Published in Dawn, June 21st, 2014