PTI demands Commonwealth Observer Group to officially release report on Feb 8 polls

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has urged the Commonwealth Observer Group to officially release its report on the February 8, 2024 polls in ...

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has urged the Commonwealth Observer Group to officially release its report on the February 8, 2024 polls in Pakistan, which it said we're massively rigged. It said the 'polls fraud' laid bare systemic rigging, institutional bias, and deliberate targeting of PTI and its founder, Imran Khan. The party noted that the PTI was stripped of its election symbol (bat) and handed Khan three convictions within days of the polls, effectively barring him from contesting and denying voters a fair choice.

In a statement on Sunday, PTI Central Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram said the leaked report validated PTI's longstanding reservations about widespread pre- and post-poll rigging in totality. He said that the report stated the courts reversed Nawaz Sharif's lifetime ban just before nominations, enabling his return while denying PTI's participation - showing selective legal leniency. Waqas said the imposed regime made every effort to suppress the report, but leaked findings to the media exposed how systematically and ruthlessly the entire election was manipulated and rigged. Waqas, quoting the reports, said that judicial pressure was allegedly exerted by intelligence agencies, including abduction of a judge's family member and surveillance of judges handling election cases. Waqas added it revealed Form 45 discrepancies, with votes altered between polling stations and final counts, alongside manipulated Form 46 and 47 favouring rivals. PTI faced mass arrests, office raids, missing leaders coerced to quit, internet blackouts disrupting campaigns, police interference in filings, and selective enforcement of rules-singling out PTI while rivals campaigned freely, the report revealed.

Taking about alarming resurgence of terrorism across the country, particularly in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Balochistan, Waqas said that it exposed the regime's confused, myopic and flawed counter-terrorism strategy once again. PTI CIS said that the government's coercive tactics to silence dissenting voices and turning a blind eye to the escalating threat of terrorism fueled militancy at alarming pace. He said that instead of combating terrorism and safeguarding national security, the regime was singularly focused on crushing PTI and its founding chairman Imran Khan. Waqas expressed condolences to the soldiers and innocent citizens who, he said, continue to bear the cost of the government's misplaced priorities. He slammed the government's hypocrisy and incompetence, recalling that over 21 military operations displaced thousands yet brought no compensation, rehabilitation, or peace.

Waqas reminded the nation that under the National Action Plan (NAP), federal and provincial governments had pledged major financial support to KP after the FATA merger for education, healthcare, and jobs to counter militancy.

However, he added that none of those commitments were honoured. Instead, KP was deliberately deprived as punishment for supporting PTI and Imran Khan.

Waqas slammed the controversial move to shift the Federal Constabulary headquarters from Peshawar to Islamabad after renaming of the force, calling it a dangerous politicisation of national security institutions. He noted that the FC, originally tasked with border security, was now being repurposed to suppress PTI instead of fighting terrorism. PTI CIS remarked that if the move was truly essential for national security, the regime should also rename the Rangers and shift their offices to Islamabad too. However, Waqas stressed that if the government were truly serious about combating terrorism, it would end the brutal crackdown on the opposition, release all political prisoners including Imran Khan, and work toward a unified, well-thought-out national counterterrorism strategy to eliminate the menace once and for all, instead of wasting time on mudslinging. He called for the immediate disbursement of the promised merger funds to KP and the clearance of all pending dues, instead of wasting national resources on lavish foreign trips.

Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).