RAWALPINDI: Opposition parties including PPP, PML-N and Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) have started preparing for a protest outside the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Aug 8.

PML-N has formed five committees for gathering maximum workers and asked its Rawalpindi and Islamabad chapters to mobilise workers for the protest against rigged elections and asked all party ticket holders to bring as many people as they can to Islamabad.

A senior PML-N official told Dawn that Sardar Naseem, Daniyal Chaudhry, Malik Shakil Awan, Raja Hanif, Sheikh Arslan and Malik Abrar will lead the committees in their respective constituencies and will be responsible for bringing workers.

He said the committees have been given a target and that union council chairmen have been told to ensure they are present during the protest.

The local chapters will be responsible for arranging transport for workers.

PML-N local leaders have been asked to get into contact with the local MMA chapter to coordinate efforts and make the protest strong.

Former PML-N MNA Malik Shakil Awan told Dawn that party workers will get to Islamabad in the shape of rallies and that the protest will remain peaceful.

PPP has also asked its workers to join the protest.

“We have called a meeting of workers for Tuesday at the party office to chalk out a plan,” said PPP City President Babar Jadoon.

He told Dawn PPP was also affected by rigging in the elections and that it will also protest in various parts of the city after Aug 8. Party workers will gather at the Benazir Bhutto monument in Liaquat Bagh and travel to Islamabad in the shape of a rally.

All parties will protest outside ECP on Aug 8 but they will maintain their identities, he added.

Local MMA leader Malik Azam said workers have been asked to join the protest on Wednesday.

“We will highlight pre-poll and post-poll rigging in the elections. Candidates of the alliance will present data on election rigging and a meeting of the MMA was held in Islamabad on Monday to finalise arrangements for this,” he said.

Published in Dawn, August 7th, 2018