LAHORE: The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf has shown extraordinary flexibility to bridge the gaps and to evolve a consensus with the PML-N government for constitution of a Judicial Commission to probe into charges of alleged rigging in 2013 general elections.

The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has also found PTI’s point-of-view just and assured its support to the party in this regard.

This was stated by PTI Vice-Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi at a news conference after the National Council meeting called to review the party’s constitution at a local hotel on Monday.

Mr Qureshi said the PTI wanted constitution of a Judicial Commission to probe into poll “rigging” allegations so that lessons could be learnt and next election held in a fair and transparent manner.

He said the PTI leadership had held a series of meetings with the government representatives and lately he along with the party secretary-general, Jehangir Tareen, met PPP leaders Aitzaz Ahsan and Qamar Zaman Kaira, who found PTI’s point of view just. The PPP leaders stressed that the Judicial Commission must be constituted, he added.

He said that he had also met finance minister Ishaq Dar and told him that the PTI had shown maximum flexibility and it was high time that the government should constitute Judicial Commission. “We will not backtrack on the party’s as well as masses’ demand that the authenticity of general elections should be verified,” he added.

Mr Qureshi said the PTI would only wait for constitution of Judicial Commission till the completion of scrutiny of thumb impressions on NA-122 votes and then go for an Islamabad-like sit-in in Lahore.

He said party chief Imran Khan had declared 2015 as election year because the verification of voters’ thumb impressions would expose the “fake mandate” of the PML-N government.

The PTI vice-chairman said his party as well as the whole nation wanted that peace must be restored in Karachi, which was country’s commercial and industrial hub.

Stating that neither the country’s law nor its constitution permitted any party to have a militant wing, he stressed the Rangers’ operation in Karachi must reach its logical end.

“All parties’ apex committee headed by Sindh chief minister also wanted that terrorism must end in Karachi,” he added.

Mr Qureshi said as the party had grown, its constitution needed review to manage its internal issues effectively. PTI had called all stakeholders to discuss the party’s available 29-page constitution and submit recommendations to solve teething problems, he added.

PTI Punjab president Ejaz Chaudhry condemned the suicide bombing at Churches in Youhanaabad and demanded the government should give at least Rs2 million compensation to the heirs of each person who died in the attacks and provide best treatment facilities to the injured.

He also condemned the lynching of two persons by a violent mob and stressed the need for tolerance and patience.

He said the party’s minority wing president Shunila Rooth had remained at the sites of blasts and the Lahore General Hospital on Sunday, adding that its Punjab leadership would also visit the injured in the hospital.

PTI’s leader Ibrar-ul-Haq as well as its regional and district presidents and general secretaries were present.

Published in Dawn, March 17th, 2015

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