LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s Punjab Organiser Chaudhry Sarwar has demanded that the chief justice of Pakistan should take notice of the threats being hurled by PML-N ministers to tribunal judges.

He also called upon all political parties to join hands with the PTI for ensuring a free and fair electoral process.

Speaking at a seminar on “ECP’s role in strengthening of democracy” at the Lahore High Court Bar Association here on Thursday, Mr Sarwar said Imran Khan would have become the prime minister quite earlier had the PTI taken an unconstitutional and undemocratic course.

He said people had lost their trust in the PML-N and the Election Commission of Pakistan, adding that no-one could trust about the holding of free and fair local body elections in the presence of four provincial election commissioners.

He said the provincial election commissioners should be removed through parliament, if required.

Mr Sarwar said the failed policies of the rulers had forced every segment of society, including farmers, labourers and government employees, to come out on roads and protest.

He said party chief Imran Khan was making one single demand that vote audit be conducted in four constituencies soon after the general elections in 2013, but the government continued using delaying tactics.

After the tribunals’ decisions in favour of Imran Khan, Jahangir Tareen and Hamid Khan, he said the worst-ever rigging in the general elections had been exposed. Now, he said, the whole nation had recognised that why the PML-N government was not ready for vote audit in the four constituencies.

He said many opposition parties, including the PPP, were supporting the PTI in its just demand.

Offering to forget the previous wrongdoings, Mr Sarwar said the PML-N should remove the four provincial election commissioners through legislation and ensure that the next elections be held in a free and fair manner.

Calling for holding elections through the bio-metric system, he said there was no problem in installing this system as India had already conducted elections through the bio-metric system. He said the bio-metric system could be installed within few months. He, however, regretted that the rulers did nothing during the last two-and-a-half years for the holding of free and fair elections in the country.

PTI Chairman’s political adviser Abdul Aleem Khan said the worst-ever rigging in the general elections had been confirmed after three decisions of the election tribunal and rulers could never clear themselves of rigging allegations. He said the PML-N should seek apology from the nation and commit that the next elections would be held in a free and fair manner.

Published in Dawn, August 28th, 2015

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