Imran Khan’s party begins protests over ‘poll rigging’

PTI

Islamabad, February 17

Authorities on Saturday imposed prohibitory orders in Pakistan’s capital as jailed former prime minister Imran Khan’s party began nationwide protests against alleged rigging and stealing of its mandate in the recent elections.

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Criticising the outcome of the polls, which saw the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party-backed independent candidates emerging as the largest group by winning over 90 National Assembly seats, the PTI announced holding countrywide “peaceful protests” against what it termed “record-high rigging”.

The protests began with a march in Wana in South Waziristan of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

The party has decided to sit in the Opposition in Parliament. “The PTI has called for countrywide protests against the unprecedented, massive, brazen rigging in general elections 2024, where PTI’s win of 180 National Assembly seats and a two-thirds majority in the parliament was cut down to half,” the party said.

“The 2024 elections would be remembered in the country’s history due to the scale of rigging,” PTI spokesperson Raoof Hasan said.

The Islamabad police have said Section 144 was in force in the city and the security was on “high alert”, as the PTI is set to begin its countrywide protests, a newspaper reported.

Without directly referring to protests, it said there could be increased traffic near the F9 park and urged the public to avoid “unnecessary travel” on the nearby routes.

The police said that special forces of the Counter Terrorism Department had been deployed on patrol to deal with any emergency.

“Patrolling has been increased across the district while checking has been tightened at checkpoints,” it added.

The police in Islamabad dug up a ditch near the Lahore Press Club to stop the PTI protest. A heavy contingent of police was deployed there to thwart the PTI protest.

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