CHARSADDA: Awami National Party provincial president Aimal Wali Khan has said that his party will move Election Commission of Pakistan to expose rigging in the recently held by-polls.

Addressing party workers at Wali Bagh here on Sunday, he said they want the ECP to open the whole NA-22 constituency to expose rigging in the by-polls “If it is not possible, then recount votes even in only four union councils to expose their theft of vote and rigging,” he added.

He said that they were not ready to accept the results of by-polls in NA-24. Instead of teachers, lady health workers were deployed to rig the by-elections, he alleged.

“Our competition in the by-polls was with provincial government, commissioner and deputy commissioner,” said the ANP leader. He alleged that government machinery was used to manipulate the results of by-polls. He said at a polling station in Wardaga, Imran Khan’s 109 votes were increased to 1,090 while at another 191 votes of ANP were reduced to 141.

Aimal Wali appreciated the role of party workers and polling agents during the election campaign and on the voting day. He said that ANP would be reorganised and all weakness would be removed. He added that his party would empower women to play effective role in politics.

He said that ANP wanted to serve Pakhtuns instead of reaching assemblies and corridor of power. “We are the followers of Khudai Khidmatgar Bacha Khan and would continue his mission of peace,” he added.

The ANP leader said that they would continue their struggle to safeguard and protect the rights of Pakhuns and would never compromise on it.

Coming hard on PTI chief Imran Khan, he said that PTI workers were celebrating his victory in the by-polls but their leader was declared a certified thief. “The election commission has disqualified him in Thoshakhana reference,” he added.

Aimal Wali said that Pakhuns’ land was handed over to Imran Khan and he was ruling it for the last nine years.

He said that the powers that be were on his back. He said that candidates of ANP were facing terrorists in each election. He said that ANP was never given open field to contest polls.

Published in Dawn, October 24th, 2022