KARACHI: A large number of workers, supporters and voters of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf converged outside the office of the provincial election commissioner in Saddar on Saturday to stage a protest demonstration against “rigged and manipulated results” of Feb 8 elections.

The protesters demanded ‘judiciary and state institutions’ to intervene in the matter and fix the ‘flaws’.

The charged crowd, including women and children, carrying PTI flags and dancing to the tunes of party songs, appeared convinced that the mandate of Karachi like other parts of the country had been ‘stolen’ on election day and it could lead to ‘disastrous repercussions’ damaging the democracy and deteriorating the parliamentary system in the country.

The leaders in their addresses also warned that the “rigged elections” were not only damaging for the contesting parties, but it could also make a dent in the repute of the next government which would never be trusted by the international community at the time when the country was facing serious economic challenges.

“Those who had any doubt about the struggle of PTI and chairman Imran Khan’s demand for true freedom before the Feb 8 elections, are making the same demands today and recognising him as the only visionary leader in the country,” said PTI Sindh chapter president Haleem Adil Sheikh while addressing the demonstration.

“The people here are not activists or workers. They are voters of this city. They are followers of Imran Khan. They come out of their homes on his call because they have been awakened by their leader that we have to make our efforts for our future. For our safe tomorrow, we need to rise today.”

Former PTI MPA Raja Azhar in his address said that those who were declared winners in the polls were so embarrassed now that they would not be able to face the public of Karachi and any government which would came to power after the controversial elections would not sustain any long.

“The Election Commission will have to explain as to what’s its utility when the mandate of people has been stolen and their representatives aren’t elected but installed through defiance of law,” he said.

Published in Dawn, February 18th, 2024