PESHAWAR: Alleging the mandate of the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was stolen, Qaumi Watan Party leader Aftab Khan Sherpao on Tuesday asked other political parties to get together for an effective strategy against manipulation of the July 25 elections.

He said there was a need to protect the ‘real’ mandate of the people.

Addressing a meeting of party office-bearers and election candidates here, the QWP leader criticised the Election Commission of Pakistan and caretaker governments for ‘failing to fulfil their promise of holding free and fair elections’ and said the poll rigging had increased uncertainty among the people.

He said almost all mainstream political parties had expressed reservations about the July 25 electoral process proving it was manipulated.

Asks all parties to devise strategy against poll manipulation

Mr Sherpao said since its creation, the caretaker government hadn’t paid attention to its prime responsibilities of ensuring free and fair elections and maintaining law and order. He said major political parties had questioned the fairness of elections, which was harmful for democracy.

The QWP chief alleged that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government had yet again been given to incompetent people, who had already wrecked havoc on the province.

He said the PTI leadership lacked vision and political acumen to take legislative and administrative steps for the people’s welfare.

Mr Sherpao said the previous PTI-led provincial government had miserably failed to deliver the goods to the misery of the people. He also said the last assembly neither addressed the issues of Pakhtuns effectively nor did it take measures to protect their rights.

The QWP chief said coming to power through ‘fake’ mandate went against the people’s interest.

He said the country passed through a critical juncture and therefore, all political parties should come up with a comprehensive strategy to protect the KP residents’ real mandate and end their unrest.

Mr Sherpao alleged that elections were manipulated to favour certain parties.

Other speakers said the Afghan issue and Pakhtuns would suffer badly due to the incompetence and inexperience of the coming rulers.

They said the QWP would save Pakhtuns from political marginalisation.

The speakers regretted that Pakhtun leadership had been sidelined through election rigging and therefore, Pakhtuns wouldn’t have real representation in parliament.

QWP provincial chief Sikandar Hayat Khan Sherpao also spoke on the occasion.

Published in Dawn, August 1st, 2018