LAHORE: The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) wants the shortcomings and loopholes in the election system be plugged so public’s true representatives are empowered. The country’s 2013 general elections were heavily rigged.

This was stated by PTI Punjab President Ejaz Chaudhry while speaking at a workers’ convention organised by spokesman Naeem Mir at Rasheed Park, Icchra, which falls in the NA-122 constituency, on Sunday.

He said the PTI would contest the by-election in NA-122 and party workers would be allowed to run.

In their member Waleed Iqbal’s constituency, Chaudhry asked how election results could be declared when forms 14 and 15 were neither available in the ballot bags nor with the returning officer.

He said the PTI as well as all other major political parties had alleged the general elections were rigged.

He said the country was facing worst kind of crisis in terms of daily-use items as well as basic necessities like electricity, gas and petrol.

He said the masses were suffering longest hours of loadshedding not only in rural areas but urban also. The PTI also condemned and passed a resolution against the blasphemous caricatures.

Meanwhile, PTI Lahore President Abdul Aleem Khan announced replacement of inactive office-bearers at unit and town levels with active ones.

Speaking at a party’s organisational convention here on Sunday, Khan said the party’s Lahore chapter had started preparing a strategy on reports coming from town presidents and other sections.

He also announced that the workers who actively participated in the Islamabad sit-in would be given commendation certificates at a ceremony presided over by party chief Imran Khan.

Terming electricity, gas and petrol shortage government’s own “breakdown”, Khan said the rulers were helping the PTI raise its popularity graph.

He said ministers were misguiding the government on setting up of a judicial commission.

Shafqat Mahmood and Shoaib Siddiqui also spoke on the occasion, while party workers chanted slogans.

Published in Dawn January 26th , 2015

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