ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has called for a complete “audit” of results of the general elections held in May last year.

Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, he said: “Time for recounting of votes of four constituencies is over. Now the PTI demands a complete audit of the poll results as is being done in Afghanistan.”

In that country, the election commission has decided to go for recounting after the two leading candidates of recent presidential election contested poll results.

It was probably for the first time that Imran Khan said on record that if his allegations against the PML-N were proven true, mid-term elections were the only way forward.

Before new elections, he said, those who had rigged the last polls must be punished so that nobody dared commit the same mistake in future.

He said: “It has been 14 months since the PTI raised the demand for thumb impression-based recount of votes in four constituencies and it has even taken up the issue in parliament and gone to the Supreme Court. But unfortunately nobody listened to us.

“Be it the Election Commission, election tribunals or the federal government, they all are hand in glove in resisting the demand. Hence, the PTI is left with no other option but to take to the streets.”

He alleged that the PML-N had rigged the elections and used different tactics to prevent investigation into alleged cases of election fraud highlighted by the PTI.

In reply to a question, Imran Khan said his party’s march scheduled for Aug 14 was very much on and he was hoping to make it a special day in the history of the country, when people would come out for “real independence”.

Asked whether it would be a one-day event or a prolonged rally and was he looking forward to send the government home as a result of his ‘million march’, he said he would disclose details on Aug 14.

Sharing a few details of the planned long march, he said on that day he would tell the nation with solid proofs how a cell had been set up to “carry out ‘punctures’ which led to the victory of the PML-N.

Apparently buoyed by a statement made by PPP leader Asif Ali Zardari in which he had supported the PTI’s demand for vote recount and defended its call for a long march, Mr Khan warned that if hurdles were placed in the way of his peaceful rally, the government would be “moving towards its end”.

PML-N STANDS FIRM: On the other hand, the PML-N doesn’t seem to be in a mood to give a walkover to the Tehreek-i-Insaf.

Speaking to participants of the launch of Taxpayers’ Privileges and Honour Card scheme, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said in a clear reference to Imran Khan: “Although we have entered the 21st century, some political parties are talking about revolution. Such moves are not in the interest of the country and are only meant to destabilise the political progress and democracy”.

He said politics of past era should be shunned.

Published in Dawn, July 16th, 2014