ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf has said that the Election Commission (EC) has been made independent and sovereign to stop rigging in the elections.

The PM stated this while addressing a large public meeting organised by Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) at Sawar Muhammad Shaheed Stadium in Gujar Khan on Sunday.

He said that the short verdict in the Asghar Khan case vindicated the stance of PPP that the 1990 elections were rigged and that the people's mandate had been stolen.

The prime minister said that Benazir Bhutto had also remarked that the elections were rigged. He said instead of listening to her genuine grievance efforts were made to declare her a security risk.

Prime Minister Ashraf said that the verdict revealed the truth before the world. He said it exposed many faces involved in the conspiracy and the media trial against PPP. Raja Pervez Ashraf said conspiracies were always hatched to snatch the mandate of the PPP.

The prime minister said no one will now be allowed to steal the mandate of the people. He also said that his party will be victorious in the next general elections.